Dare You To Move
by SpruceGoose
Summary: Starts at'Welcome to the Hellmouth' A new spin on the Buffyverse. Everything is all the same, except for a new character Brayden. See how it could have been with this mysterious edition.
1. Welcome to Existence

_Dare You To Move-Switchfoot_

_Welcome to the planet  
Welcome to existence  
Everyone's here  
Everyone's here  
Everybody's watching you now  
Everybody waits for you now  
What happens next  
What happens next  
  
I dare you to move  
I dare you to move  
I dare you to lift yourself up off the floor  
I dare you to move  
I dare you to move  
Like today never happened  
Today never happened before  
  
Welcome to the fallout  
Welcome to resistance  
The tension is here  
Tension is here  
Between who you are and who you could be  
Between how it is and how it should be  
  
I dare you to move  
I dare you to move  
I dare you to lift yourself up off the floor  
I dare you to move  
I dare you to move  
Like today never happened  
Today never happened  
  
Maybe redemption has stories to tell  
Maybe forgiveness is right where you fell  
Where can you run to escape from yourself?  
Where you gonna go?  
Where you gonna go?  
Salvation is here  
  
I dare you to move  
I dare you to move  
I dare you to lift yourself up off the floor  
I dare you to move  
I dare you to move  
Like today never happened  
Today never happened  
Today never happened  
Today never happened before_

Title: Dare You To Move

Disclaimer: Joss Whedon created the whole Buffy and Angel series' which means I own absolutely nothing! Just this story and the other ones I have written, and Buffy seasons 1-5 on DVD, but ugh, whatever, I guess I can live without owning any of the Scoobies or. . .they're not A.I anymore, so, what are they called? The title of my story is from the song Dare You To Move by Switchfoot, which is in A Walk to Remember. Most of the titles of my chapters are lines from the song.

Rating: PG-13

Summary: Same ol' Buffy, only with a few twists and turns. What if there was something else, or someone else in the mix? Someone to stir things up, and bring more conflict to the Scoobie gang. Starts at 'Welcome to the Hellmouth.'

A/N: I have no idea if this will be a successful story, but I guess I felt like doing it. I hope you enjoy it, my few fans, who have read more than one of my stories! Thank you! Anyway, I bid you a farewell, for now, and please enjoy my new story!

Chapter One: Welcome to Existence

* * *

The blonde, dressed in a catholic school girl's uniform, turned to the boy she was with, unsure of what they were doing, or about to do.

"Are you sure this is a good idea?"

She asked, skeptically, nervous, but received a calm reply,

"It's a great idea, now come on."

They continued through the closed school, and she asked him,

"Do you go to school here?"

The boy replied, not really interested in anymore of these questions, but went along with it, thinking it would add some brownie points,

"I used to. On top of the gym it's so cool. You can see the whole town."

She then stopped and with a child like tone of voice said,

"I, I, I, I don't wanna go up there."

Of course, this didn't mean anything to the boy, so he turned it into a joke,

"Aw, you can't wait, huh?"

"We're just gonna get in trouble."

"Yeah, you can count on it."

Then the blonde thought she'd heard something, and looked around, scared,

"What was that?"

"What was what?"

"I heard a noise."

The boy was beginning to get impatient, and wanted to just get it over and done with,

"It's nothing!"

"Uh, uh, maybe it's something."

But, again with what she said, he turned it into a joke,

"Or maybe it's some thing!"

"That's not funny."

Finally he turned and called out to the seemingly empty hallways,

"Hellooooo!"

Then he turned back to the blonde and said,

"There's nobody there."

She was still a little scared,

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, I'm sure."

With that said, she turned to him, with a demon looking visage, and sharp teeth, and replied coolly,

"Okay."

And, then bit deep into his neck.

* * *

The dark blonde – bordering on brunette, with blonde highlights – slowly opened her eyes, the sun shined on her brightly, and she groaned. Not really wanting to wake up to a new day, but knew she had to. She slapped the alarm that sat on the small end table by her bed, and she sat up slowly. Rubbing the long forgotten dreams from her eyes, and the once deep sleep she had fallen slowly into the night prior.

She yawned noticeably, and gradually let her foot fall from her bed and onto the cold, soft comfort of her floor, and soon enough both feet were planted firmly on the floor, and she was pushing herself with all her will off her bed to stand. It took everything she had to force her out of bed, if she was just an inch less strong, she would have fallen back onto her pillows, and curled back into her comfy, and fluffy comforter. But, she knew it was time to wake up, time to get to work, well, what she called work. Everything seemed to blend together nowadays, nothing in her life was really separate anymore.

As she slinked to the bathroom in her small apartment, she groaned as she flicked her bright bathroom lights on. Then she leaned onto the counter and rolled her eyes open and stared at her tired looking body,

"Oh, too. . .early. . .more. . .sleep."

Was what she groaned out before she turned the faucet on, making sure it was cold. Then in a sudden burst, she splashed the freezing water onto her face, and squealed at her reflection.

"Okay, I'm awake now."

She sighed at herself, and turned the hot water on for her shower.

* * *

As the golden blonde awoke from a nightmare, she heard her mom yell to her from downstairs

"Buffy?"

Buffy sighed and yelled back,

"I'm up, Mom!"

Joyce then added,

"Don't wanna be late for your first day!"

Buffy moaned, and to herself she said,

"No... Wouldn't want that."

* * *

As Joyce pulled up in front of Sunnydale High school, Joyce leaned towards her daughter as she climbed out of the car and said,

"Okay! Have a good time. I know you're gonna make friends right away, just think positive. And honey? Try not to get kicked out?"

Buffy smiled at her mother and nodded, then kissed her good-bye. As she was walking up the steps a boy who was skateboarding by looked at her and his jaw dropped, but without noticing the rail in front of him he crashed into it. A red headed girl walked up to him and he said more to himself,

"I'm Okay. I feel good."

Then he noticed his friend and smiled,

"Willow! You're so very much the person that I wanted to see!"

They talked about math and the library and walked into the school.

* * *

As the blonde – bordering on brunette, you remember her, right? – grabbed her keys and purse and walked out of her apartment, as she was locking her door, she stopped and gasped. Then she let go of her keys and grabbed her chest, reaching for what had made her breath quicken, and her heartbeat rapidly, practically jumping out of her chest. She gasped again, and closed her eyes almost instinctively, tightening them. Then in how quick it had happened, it ended, opening her eyes she let out a long breath that she hadn't known she'd been holding in. She lightly brushed the strand of hair that had fallen from her loose bun behind her ear. She sighed and then let her hand drop limply to her side, and whispered breathlessly,

"The Slayer is in SunnyD."


	2. Edible People

Title: Dare You To Move

Disclaimer: Joss Whedon created the whole Buffy and Angel series' which means I own absolutely nothing! Just this story and the other ones I have written, and Buffy seasons 1-5 on DVD, but ugh, whatever, I guess I can live without owning any of the Scoobies or. . .they're not A.I anymore, so, what are they called? The title of my story is from the song Dare You To Move by Switchfoot, which is in A Walk to Remember. Most of the titles of my chapters are lines from the song.

Rating: PG-13

Summary: Same ol' Buffy, only with a few twists and turns. What if there was something else, or someone else in the mix? Someone to stir things up, and bring more conflict to the Scoobie gang. Starts at 'Welcome to the Hellmouth.'

A/N: Sorry the last chappy was so short, that was just the opening. Anyway, this chapter is in the blonde – bordering on brunette – and later Buffy's POV. So, please enjoy!

"_Many people will walk in and out of your life, but only true friends will leave footprints on your heart." –Eleanor Roosevelt_

Chapter Two: Everyone's Here

* * *

Don't worry, it all ended in a happy story those last few days. The Slayer beat The Master's right hand, Luke, and the Harvest was stopped. There were a few casualties in the battle though – if you can even call it that – a friend of the two kids the Slayer had become friends with, he'd been turned. And, in the frantic pace of the fight, he was accidentally dusted, by me and the boy. But don't get your hopes up just yet; the Slayer hadn't defeated the Master yet, he was still trapped, awaiting his return to the world, his return by killing the slayer. Which was true, he would kill the slayer, but she'd only be brought back faster and stronger than before. Somewhat hollow, but it'd resolve itself in the end. Whoa! I'm really jumping the gun on this, getting ahead of myself here. I should probably back up, and explain it slowly, from the beginning, where I came in.

As I grabbed my keys and purse and walked out of my apartment, as I was locking my door, I stopped and gasped. Then I let go of my keys and grabbed my chest, reaching for what had made my breath quicken, and my heartbeat rapidly, practically jumping out of my chest. I gasped again, and closed my eyes almost instinctively, tightening them. Then in how quick it had happened, it ended, opening my eyes I let out a long breath that I hadn't known I'd been holding in. I lightly brushed the strand of hair that had fallen from my loose bun, behind my ear. I sighed and then let my hand drop limply to my side, and whispered breathlessly,

"The Slayer is in SunnyD."

I quickly cleared my throat and unlocked my apartment door and flung it open. Running in, almost forgetting to shut my door. I headed straight for the closet, and grabbed all my empty boxes, and then a few garbage bags. I went into my bedroom, and pulled all the clothes out of my closet, and threw them on the bed. I then stripped my dresser of all it's contents, and threw those on the bed also, then began loading all the garbage bags with my clothes. When I was done with that, I put all my toiletries in a box, and then began packing everything. I had sensed the Slayer, moving to Sunnydale, and I was prepared; since I had sold my apartment, but I wasn't prepared enough, I wasn't packed yet.

When everything was packed and ready to go, I started loading them into my moving trailer. Running up and down the stairs as quickly as I could, trying to hurry. Hoping that The Harvest wouldn't come to Sunnydale before me. But, in the matter of an hour, my stuff was loaded and ready to go, now it was the time for driving. The driving from Yuma, Arizona to Sunnydale California. It wouldn't take that long, but it wasn't going to be a snap of the fingers. An hour or two of driving, which meant I wanted to get a head start, while the girl, the slayer, was still in school.

An hour and a half later I stopped my car in front of the 'Welcome to Sunnydale' sign, I slowly climbed out of my car and leaned onto the roof of my car, then I smirked, and said to myself,

"This is Sunnydale, this is where the Master is. Well, this should be interesting."

I got back in my car, and began driving around, hoping to quickly buy an apartment, maybe even a house. I had plenty of money for my own home. I guess that's what I wanted, a permanent, stable place, that I could call my home. I hadn't really lived in a place for longer than a year, I was into looking for the Slayer, hunting down the Master. More into figuring myself out, than stopping and making a place home. Home was where your heart was though, and my heart was into my destiny, into finding my destiny, which only proves that I didn't have a home. But, finally after much debate and the figuring out of a place to stay, I drove up past the cemetery, and found a nice street; there was a group of people walking into a house for sale, an open house! I parked in front of the house and checked it out, it was nice: beautiful, two story, lots of room, lots of secrets to be kept here. I knew that was my home, my heart was in that home as I stared at it, as I watched it.

I ran to the front door and swung the door open, catching every pair of eyes that glanced at me, and when I finally caught a pair of gray eyes, watching me as intently as I had the house. I sensed she was the woman selling the house, so I walked up to her and confidently said,

"I'll buy it."

She was more than confused, I hadn't even seen the house yet, and already I wanted to buy it, she probably thought I was crazy, she probably thought I was crazy as I signed the paperwork for the house, but I didn't care. Everyone who was looking at the house, looking to buy the house were shocked, hoped that I wouldn't be able to buy it. When the lady with gray eyes finally asked,

"But you haven't even seen it yet. Why would you want to buy this house?"

"I've seen enough of it to know, this is the house I want."

She sighed, understanding my feeling, and wanting to sell it, but not wanting to part with it, but knowing it was time,

"I understand. But, I wanted to weigh the decision."

"I've got enough money to buy this house, and the furniture in it. Everything that is important to me is in a moving trailer, attached to my SUV, I have perfect credit, any paperwork you need to see, I've got. I know I want this house, and I need to buy it now, I'm running short on time."

The lady nodded and smiled, and escorted the three couples that had come to look at the house out of the door. She walked into the kitchen and gestured for me to sit down, I did and she signed a few pieces of paper and slid them over to me and said quietly, and sincerely,

"I see the same love in you, that I had for this house once. Take good care of it."

"Aren't you going to ask me any questions? That kind of stuff?"

She shook her head, and stood up to get a glass of water, as I signed the papers. She came back to the table and set a glass by me, and sat down with a glass in her hands. There was something about her that made me trust her, want to get to know her, understanding maybe. I guess she saw the same things in me, that's why she sold her house to me, why she trusted that I'd take care of it, and love it like she did. When we were done signing the papers, I wrote her a check, for more than necessary, and she just smiled. Letting a tear roll down her cheek; not of sadness but of happiness, someone could be so generous as to give her enough money to practically start a whole new life.

She even helped me bring my boxes in the house, and then she left. She left a fully furnished house, which was screaming my name, she left her life, because she saw some of herself in me. I took the boxes to the appropriate places in the house and began to unpack. Watching the clock eagerly, and waiting for the sun to set, I knew the Slayer would be meeting unwanted guests tonight; Darla and Luke. They always had a tendency to appear when they weren't wanted, or when there was trouble brewing, especially Darla.

As the sun slowly set, I decided to go out and watch. It wasn't my job to interfere with what was happening, just to observe and stay out of the way. It'd worked before, with the other slayer, but I had a feeling it was going to be different with this one when I watched her walk down the street. I watched as the once soulless vampire Angelus followed her, I at first suspected that he was going to attack her, drink her, but then I remembered that wasn't his style. He'd torture her first, and then when the fun was over, he'd kill her. But, then I sensed it, the guilt, mourning, pain, I could feel it in him, and I could sense the soul within him. I stalked behind them, slowly, far enough that I wouldn't be seen or heard. And as we came to the only club I'd seen in Sunnydale, the slayer was now nowhere in sight.

I watched as Angelus walked down the alley, wondering where she'd gone, and then there she was. Swinging from a pipe and kicking him in the back, and that was when I could also feel it, the love that he felt for her. It hadn't hit me until then, when they stared at each other, lightly talking, that he loved her. Which made everything different at that exact moment, an infamous vampire loved the slayer. And, that only proved my thoughts of this slayer being different. I didn't have any doubts in her, she'd save the world; however many times it took before she fulfilled her destiny. She'd have it rough, but in the end, she'd be victorious, and still have friends and family beside her. I sensed and felt all this as I watched Angelus toss her a small box, he left and then she opened the box to find a silver cross and chain.

How she couldn't have sensed the love he had for her, was beyond me. I didn't quite understand how he could love her, but I realized it wasn't in my manner to understand, to question, or to even wonder and feel a hope for the slayer. I was going against my mandate by just thinking these things, of pondering such idle teenage questions. But, when I walked into the Bronze after the slayer, I watched her talk to a meek redhead, and that's also when it hit me, that's how I was supposed to act, like an eighteen year old, not a forty year old. I wished that I could be sixteen again, to have my youth before me, and thinking that, caused me to understand, that I was still in my youth, just an eighteen year old, following her destiny. But, what was the real point of my destiny? To watch the slayer, and make sure the next one doesn't make the same mistakes? To look out for new demons, new evils, to give the word to the Watcher's Council? To sit on the sidelines, and prepare for the slayer's death, without lifting a finger to help?

Screw my destiny! I thought, I was going to make a difference, because this girl was so young, called when she was fifteen. She didn't deserve the weight of the world on her shoulders for however long she would live, and I wanted to make sure she'd live a long time. I wanted her to know there was somebody out there who understood her, understood that their youth had also been taken away, so they could follow their destiny, and all I could think to say for all of this was, that it wasn't fair. None of it, and in the short time I had though of it, I had reverted from mature, wise beyond my years, and calm, to immature, child-like, and angry. And I was willing to put money on it that the slayer felt exactly the same, and I felt obligated to her, like I had to help her, and that was my new priority.

I watched as she ran from her watcher, and attempted to follow the redhead who she had previously been talking to, and who had left unsuspectingly with a vampire. I also ran out of the Bronze and waited by the door, looking every which way, wondering where the slayer had gone. I then heard the crack of wood breaking, and slowly crept towards the corner, and saw and empty alley, and then heard footsteps, and felt the slayer's presence. I heard the door crack open and knew the slayer would attack, so I moved in her way. Blocking her from attacking the brunette girl who had walked out of the door, and instead she attacked me. Her stake raised merely an inch away from my heart, ready to penetrate, but then the slayer looked at me, first anger and the lust for the kill filled her eyes, then wonder and recognition. The brunette laughed and walked towards us, the slayer quickly lowered her make shift stake and gave the brunette a fake smile.

"Cordelia."

"What is your childhood trauma?! Do you always attack people with sticks?"

"Umm, have you seen Willow? Did she come by here?"

"Why? Do you need to attack her with the stick? Jeez! Excuse me, I have to call everyone I have ever met, right now."

The slayer rolled her eyes and then huffed loudly, she wanted to shut this girl Cordelia up, she wanted to show her, her slayer strength, or maybe even her strength as a normal girl. But, she had resolve, and she'd chosen to try to at least have a normal life around these teenagers. Even if she accidentally attacked me with a stake, she chose to lead a normal teenage life during the day, and the life of the slayer at night. I turned to look at the brunette who was talking a mile a minute on her cell phone, and then watched as the slayer ran down the alley. I chased after her, hoping that I could catch up to her, help her even. I wasn't a slayer, or a demon, I didn't have that kind of strength, but I was what I was, and I had strength, better strength then the redhead the slayer was going to save.

"Slayer!"

I yelled after her, and stopped abruptly to see her talking to a brunette boy, who apparently knew her real identity.

"Hey, you're leaving already?"  
  
He lightheartedly said to her, maybe in a way to not get hurt, thinking she might be crazy, or just a little off her wagon.

"Oh, Xander! Have you seen Willow?"  
  
"Not tonight, no."  
  
"She left with a guy."  
  
"We're talking about Willow, right? Scorin' at the Bronze, work it girl..."

"No, I need to find her. Where would he take her?"  
  
"Why? Oh, hey, I hope he's not a vampire, because then you might have to slay him."  
  
"Was there a... a school bulletin? Was it i-in the newspaper? Is there anyone in this town who doesn't know I'm the Slayer?"  
  
"No. I only know that you think that you're the Slayer, and the reason why I know that..."  
  
"Well, whatever, it doesn't matter, just tell me, where would Willow go?"  
  
"You're serious!"  
  
"We don't find her and there's gonna be one more dead body in the morning!"

The boy bothered me, there was something about him that just made me want to slap my head on a concrete wall repeatedly until I was bleeding, and then take a book of every prophecy ever written and beat myself senseless, until finally I was barely hanging on by a single thread, and only wanted that much of me to continue to live. Okay, so I guess I could've just said I didn't really like him. The way he treated the slayer, tried to convince her otherwise, just got to me, it upset me, and I knew that he'd end up tagging along for many of her fights to come. But, that assured me, I didn't know why at the time, but now I do. She needed that, the funny support of him, he was someone she could trust with her life, and that was something that she would need in her life.

I walked up to them slowly, hoping to maybe tell them I was willing to lend a hand. To help find this Willow girl, I figured she was the redhead the slayer was so intent on finding.

"Slayer,"

The slayer turned toward me and huffed again, but not in annoyance like she had to Cordelia, more of an act. She wanted to know who I was, but yet, I think I was something she didn't want to get involved with. I could understand completely, I didn't want her getting involved with me either, but I wanted to protect her. That was the way Angelus felt, and than I realized I also loved her. But, not in the same way; more of a sisterly, protector kind of way. And, that made my heart warm, to know that I might actually be able to have a family with this girl, to protect her like she was my family. Like she would have to do with her little sister, when her little sister came into existence.

"God! I guess that answers my question!"

The brunette boy then piped in, trying to understand what was going on, to be less confused.

"Which question would that be?"

The slayer sighed and tried to ignore him, and looked at me, now with aggravation. Thanks irritating boy.

"What do you want with me? You want me to kill you. . .deader?"

"Oh, I'm not a vampire, not a demon either. I want to help, to help you in the fight."

The slayer's grip on her stake loosened and she relaxed a little, but then growled loudly, and hastily responded,

"What is this, dark and mysterious day? Did cross guy send you?"

"Cross guy? Oh, no. I'm here on my own accord. It's my destiny."

"Yeah, well, it's my destiny to rid the world of evil vamps, so either you're coming or not, but I'm warning you, you turn out to be evil, I will kick you're sorry ass."

The Xander boy smirked at the slayer, and then she turned around, but slightly turned back towards me, and lightly asked me,

"What's your name?"

"Brayden."

I gave her a small smile, and before I could ask her the same question, she answered and then we were off chasing after red.

"Buffy. . .the vampire slayer."

As we came toward the mausoleum, Buffy sensed vampires, two of them. I nodded in agreement, but there was a slight twinge on the back of my neck, I almost thought I'd sensed a third, and a bitten boy. It was confirmed when we entered that the boy with the redhead had been bitten. The slayer stepped forward, looking the place up and down, sizing it up.

"Well, this is nice. I-it's a little bare, but a dash of paint, a few throw pillows... call it home!"  
  
The blonde vampire glared at her, they would underestimate her, just because the slayer was small, beautiful and blonde, they'd think she was weak, and she could use that to her advantage.

"Who the hell are you?"  
  
It was Darla, blonde and trying to stick with the times with her fashion. Blend in better maybe. She wondered who this girl was, but in the back of her mind, I think she knew.

"You mean there's actually someone in this town who doesn't know already? Whew, that's a relief, I'm telling you! Having a secret identity in this town is a job of work."  
  
"Buffy, we bail now, right?"

Xander was a little scared, not sure really how to take it all in of there being vampires in Sunnydale, or the fact that this girl was the slayer. The vampire that had taken Willow stepped up and in a commanding voice said,  
  
"Not yet!"  
  
"Okay, first of all, what's with the outfit? Live in the now, okay? You look like DeBarge! (to Darla) Now, we can do this the hard way, or... well, actually there's just the hard way."  
  
"That's fine with me!"  
  
"Are you sure? Now, this in not gonna be pretty. We're talking violence, strong language, adult content..."

The male vampire then ran up to her, trying to charge her, but she staked him in the heart with ease, and then she finished what she was trying to say before,

"See what happens when you roughhouse?"  
  
Darla then yelled frustrated, almost scared of the slayer, which made me want to laugh.

"He was young and stupid!"  
  
The slayer then yelled to Xander,

"Xander, go!"  
  
Darla then sarcastically called to them as him, Willow and the boy who was bitten were leaving.

"Don't go far!"  
  
Then the slayer started to fight with her, and gave a little speech while doing it.

"You know, I just wanted to start over. Be like everybody else. Have some friends, y'know, maybe a dog... But, no, you had to come here, you couldn't go suck on some other town."  
  
"Who are you?"  
  
Darla was baffled, confused by this girl, who had matched her in strength and stamina.

"Don't you know?"  
  
Then Luke came from behind the slayer and grabbed her by the neck,

"I don't care!"

Luke then threw her across the room, and I stepped up. Apparently Darla hadn't noticed me during this whole exchange. And, when I came out of the entrance way and from the shadows, Darla and Luke both looked at me. Surprised to see me, stunned actually.

"Brayden. What a surprise. Wonderful of you to grace us with your presence."

Darla snickered at me, and Luke walked closer to the slayer, thinking I wouldn't notice his short movements, but I did, and I gave him a death glare, which was returned with a almost mock statement,

"I thought a dream was only supposed to observe the slayers, not take part in their actions."

I shrugged, realizing that I was acting like a sixteen year old, who is really eighteen instead of the wise ninety year old I was supposed to act like.

"Times are-a changin. But, obviously you haven't noticed this, since you're still a simple lap dog for a confined wrinkly vampire."

Luke growled at me, and then it was the slayers turn to join in, confused as ever by how I knew these two, but more so of what Luke had said, a dream. At that Luke looked around the mausoleum, wondering where the offerings were.

"You were supposed to be bringing an offering for the Master! We're almost at Harvest, and you dally with this child!"  
  
"We had someone, but then she came. She killed Thomas. Luke, she's strong. And, Brayden, she is with her, who knows what she'll do!"  
  
"Hah, Brayden has never fought, you go. I'll see if I can handle the little girls."  
  
With that Darla attempted to run out of the mausoleum, only to have my hand pull her back roughly. She smirked at me, forgetting any worries that were on her mind, wanting to fight me, expecting a weak opponent, and an easy victory, an easy offering right in front of her. But, as Darla often does, she underestimates her opponents by size and looks, and that's exactly what she did. She punched and I blocked, I punched and she was pushed off guard slightly. And while Darla and I were trading blows, Luke and the slayer began to fight. After awhile, Darla had me down, pinned to the floor, but the slayer fell back and pushed her off of me. Dropping a stake by me, which I think, still to this day that it wasn't on accident, possible she did it on purpose to help me. I grabbed it and aimed at Darla, but she ran out into the night, scared out of her wits. While Luke and the slayer continued to fight.  
  
"You're strong."

He then sent her flying across the room again, and yelled at her,

"I'm stronger!"  
  
They continued to fight, while I stood and watched, wanting to help the girl, but knowing it was her fight. Everybody had their limits when it came to help, and I could tell that she didn't like to be bothered during some fights, this being one of them.  
  
"You're wasting my time."  
  
He then threw her into a sarcophagus and jumped on top of her, taking the opportunity to try to bite her, but I grabbed the nearest thing, the large steel cross that I had forgotten I had in my jacket, I always carried it with me in my jacket. I at first struggled with it, trying to hurry, when I heard the slayer's voice again.

"Hey, I had other plans, too, okay?"  
  
"You think you can stop me? Stop us? You have no idea what you're dealing with. 'And like a plague of boils, the race of man covered the Earth.' But on the third day of the newest light would come the Harvest. And the blood of men will flow as wine. When the Master will walk among them once more! The Earth will belong to the old ones. And Hell itself will come to town. Amen!'"

Then I heard Luke growl loudly and he took this opportunity instead, but I wouldn't have it. I finally got my cross-loose and ran to the sarcophagus and held the cross to his face harshly, burning his skin, and making him scream with pain. He pushed his hand down onto the slayer's throat, but there too was more burning pain, as he had put his hand onto the cross that Angelus had given her. Searing pain was now coming from both the slayer and myself, inflicting it upon this vampire. But, it seemed the slayer was having trouble collecting her stake, and I decided to let up on my cross a little, and pushed Luke roughly to the side of the sarcophagus, enough for the slayer to jump out and run to the door.

"C'mon! Let's go!"

She yelled to me, but I didn't respond, instead I glared at Luke and pressed my cross to his chest, where is once beating heart would have been. He screamed again in pain, and then I said, with an evil tone in my voice,

"It would be best if you remember who I am vampire! I may only be a dream, an observer, but you are nothing but a lowly demon, sent on this world like a swarm of wasps, so don't quote your prophecies to us, because that girl right there, will be the real death of you! Of all of you!"

At that I removed the cross from his heart and ran out of the mausoleum with the slayer, almost forgetting myself, that I was just a dream, just an observer, it wasn't in my nature to act that way, that rash. But, it felt so good, and it made me feel real. I'd never really felt real, never really felt anything, until I came to Sunnydale, until I'd sensed the slayer going to Sunnydale.

We found her friends, just the two, Xander and Willow, the other boy had been taken; taken to the master. The girl was ready, to fight Luke, to kill him. She knew she was, but was scared that he had almost bitten her, scared it might not have been enough if I hadn't have been there to help her. Of course, the boy that had been bitten was turned, and led them into a trap. I knew it was a trap, but she wouldn't listen, resilient, that was her nature, to save, and protect. But, to listen was also supposed to be in her nature, to listen and obey, but she was different, she would change everything, the balance, to future of slayers alike. She would always do it her own way, with the help of the ones she cared and loved around her.

When she was going to save the Jesse boy, I went with her. She tried to convince me otherwise, but I told her flat out,

"You're not invincible. You've only been the slayer for a year, I've known girls like you, slayers, who have died in their first year, because they thought they were invincible. Don't be like that, you need some kind of back-up, and I'm it."

That was that, and we headed to the mausoleum, I let her enter first, sensing a certain in love vampire waiting. I listened, only to discover that he went by Angel now, not Angelus, just. . .Angel. He tried to warn her, not to go, but what she puts her mind to, she does. Eventually, after he'd given her the directions, I walked into the mausoleum, slowly, hoping not to be recognized, but it was too late.

"Brayden."

The girl looked at Angel funny, then at me and sighed loudly, almost irritated, in fact, I think she was, a twinge of jealousy hinted in her voice, and she directed her question at me,

"Does everybody know you?"

"More or less. Angel. . .it's different, but, it suits you."

"Yeah, well, I had to drop the longer one, it. . .kind brought on the wrong crowd."

The slayer stared at us funny, then she headed towards the tunnels, and looked back at us,

"C'mon, we gotta hurry, Jesse, could be. . .so, you gonna wish me luck?"

Angel stayed silent, and they exchanged a glance, and then she headed into the tunnels ahead of me. I stopped beside Angel, and stared on at her retreating form, neither of us looking at each other while talking.

"So, you decide to join in on the action, get bored with the watching?"

"She's different, special. I had to do something."

"Yeah, she is."

"Angelus, you best be careful. . .she's the slayer, you know who you were."

Angel nodded, and I did the same, keeping a serious tone, then followed the slayer into the tunnels, hearing a faint voice, Angel's,

"Good luck."

That night, she saved the Cordelia girl, she'd save her more in the future, but she did it with the instinct that innocents didn't deserve to die, even if they weren't nice people. I ended up staking the boy who was bitten, ironic as it was, he was Xander's best friend, and was about to bite Xander. I realized Xander didn't have the guts to stake him, so I ran up behind them and staked him in the back, where his heart would be and before he turned to dust, I smirked and said,

"No, but I do."

A stupid comment, but I was riveted, this getting involved, being apart of the action, the cause, helping instead of watching, it felt good, and all my years of personal training in the slayers arts, it finally had a use, and I was excited. I could be of use now! Even if I was disobeying my destiny, I didn't care, I wanted to be of help to the slayer, this slayer. She killed Luke after some fighting, and it scared the other vampires, making them run away, back to the master. And, as the Bronze began to clear out, Xander, Willow, myself and the librarian, who I could vaguely remember his name at the time, but I thought it was Giles, we all walked up to the slayer.

"I take it it's over."

The librarian said in his British voice, almost making me chuckle,  
  
"Did we win?"

Willow piped in, with an excited, gleeful tone,  
  
"Well, we averted the Apocalypse. I give us points for that."  
  
"One thing's for sure: nothing's ever gonna be the same."

Then the slayer and Xander added, then they all looked at me, like I was supposed to add something, like I was also apart of the group. The newly created group, who would come together as a family, a weird vampire slaying, demon killing family, but it felt nice, to be apart of something I knew a lot about. Then, I finally smiled lightly and said nonchalantly.

"Yeah, who's up for what's next?"

It earned me a small chuckle from the group, and then the slayer looked at me and asked,

"Who are you? I mean, I know your name, but how do you know all these people, what are you?"

"Not a demon of any kind, I can tell you that."

The librarian removed his glasses and wiped them off, then replaced them back on the bridge of his nose and said tiredly,

"Can we discuss this tomorrow perhaps? It's been a busy day."

I nodded and told them I'd stop by the library the next day, and I did. I was grilled with questions, but it made me feel even more excepted, welcome even. Apart of their slayer world, which I'd always been apart of, but never involved in, until this slayer.


	3. Body Swap

Title: Dare You To Move

Disclaimer: Joss Whedon created the whole Buffy and Angel series' which means I own absolutely nothing! Just this story and the other ones I have written, and Buffy seasons 1-5 on DVD, but ugh, whatever, I guess I can live without owning any of the Scoobies or. . .they're not A.I anymore, so, what are they called? The title of my story is from the song Dare You To Move by Switchfoot, which is in A Walk to Remember. Most of the titles of my chapters are lines from the song.

Rating: PG-13

Summary: Same ol' Buffy, only with a few twists and turns. What if there was something else, or someone else in the mix? Someone to stir things up, and bring more conflict to the Scoobie gang. Starts at 'Welcome to the Hellmouth.'

A/N: I finally did a long chappy, well, REALLY long chappy, and I'm so proud of myself! I hope you all. . .or you few, enjoyed it in Brayden's POV, we'll be seeing that a lot. Now, onto the episode Witch!

"_I never think of the future- it comes soon enough." –Albert Einestein _

Chapter Three: Everybody's Watching 

* * *

Buffy stood staring at Giles, listening to his completely over exaggerated rant on why she shouldn't join the cheerleading squad, and she looked over to see Brayden yawn, making Buffy attempt to stifle her laughter. Giles turned toward Brayden, giving her one of his not so scary glares, and she shrugged, 

"What? It's just cheerleading."

"Just cheerleading? Have you all gone mad?? This is-this is insanity!"

"You don't like the color?"

Brayden giggled lightly, listening half-heartedly to the rest of their conversation, only coming back to the end of the conversation to hear Buffy say,

"I will still have time to fight the forces of evil, okay? I just wanna have a life, I wanna do something normal. Something safe."

When Buffy left the library, Giles went back to categorizing the books, while Brayden sat at the table, staring intently at her fingernails. Her feet were propped up comfortably on the table, leaning back in the chair, she dropped her hands and sighed loudly – on purpose, of course – making Giles stop his categorizing and look at her and ask,

"Is there something on your mind Brayden?"

"Well, kinda."

"Kind of? Care to tell me, or are you planning on just sitting there making loud exasperated sighs all day long?"

"I'm thinking of coming to SunnyD High."

"Coming to Sunnydale High school? You mean finish your senior year here, or even your first and last year of high school?"

"Pretty much, yeah."

"What gave you the urge to want to do this?"

"Buffy. I mean, I'd be closer, no need to go back and forth from my house to. . .well, here, and I'd have something to do all day. You think you and Willow could make the transcripts? All that paper work stuff."

"Seeing as you have no transcripts, or paperwork. . .stuff, I'd say we'd have to. This is amazing, then when you graduate, you could work here in the library as my assistant, and go to college!"

"Whoa, whoa, now, me saying senior year at high school, when I've never spent a year or even a day at high school high, is a big thing. Now, you saying job and college, that's a HUGE thing."

"Well, it is the way we do things Brayden. It would only seem right, besides, you've changed your path in life, might as well better it also."

"That's just it, my path was my life. All of my life, and now. . .I don't know what to do. I spent my entire existence following my destiny, my path in life, letting fate work it's magic. Then, I met. . .saw Buffy, and everything changed. I wanted to help, make a difference, and now it seems like I don't have much of a destiny, not much of a path to tread."

Giles took his glasses off of his nose and cleaned them, something that became a ritual to Brayden. Watching him clean his glasses at crucial or important moments, as a nervous habit. Brayden then let her legs drop off the table and fall flat on the floor, causing a loud 'thump' sound when her sneakers hit the floor, and causing Giles to jump. He stared at Brayden for a moment and finally replied,

"As you've said, you let fate work it's magic, and it seems it has. It brought you here, to Buffy, and now you want to take part in something greater. Something so big, nobody realizes it. You will still have a destiny, and now your path will be filled with twists and turns, forks and dead ends, it's no longer and straight path, but one that can only be described as someone's life, besides, you enrolling in high school is a brilliant idea."

With that Giles nodded and went back to his books, leaving a smiling Brayden. She stood up and went to the gym to watch Buffy's try outs.

* * *

The try-outs didn't go so well, seeing as the first girl, Amber spontaneously combusted, Amy and Buffy were made alternates, Cordelia went blind, the group assumed it was Amy doing witchcraft on the girls, and did a spell, erased Lishanne's mouth from her face, then she put a bloodstone vengeance spell on Buffy, and after all of the action, found out that it was her mom in her body all along. 

Brayden was the one to distract her while Giles and Amy in Catherine's body were doing a reversal spell. Catherine in Amy's body, had punched Brayden, but she only flinched and then punched her back. While Xander tried to sneak up behind her, but then realized he didn't need to since Brayden was handling herself just fine. Amy/Catherine then went straight to a fire ax and swung at Brayden, causing her to react by jumping out of the way and pushing Willow into the wall, also getting her out of the way of the swinging blade. Amy/Catherine then ignored the three teenagers and headed directly for where the spell was happening; the science lab.

Brayden had proven herself once again to the group, and was there in time to counteract the blow that Catherine had thrown at Buffy, throwing Brayden up against the wall and onto a desk, giving Buffy plenty of time to reverse Catherine's spell on herself, sending her to a hell dimension, or so they thought.

* * *

The next day Brayden was greeted in the library during lunch by transcripts and plenty of false papers to show that she'd come from a school in Yuma, Arizona her junior year and before that a school in New York, New York sophomore year and one from Long Island, New Jersey her freshman year, and plenty to show she'd gone to school throughout middle school and elementary. Brayden smiled at her four new friends, and a warm tear had slipped from her one green eye and slid down her cheek. Her smile grew larger at the act of kindness, and from her one blue eye a fresh tear had also slipped. Buffy was the first to say something, 

"I know we barely know each other, but I feel as though I've known you all my life, and the fact that you've helped us twice now, it really shows a lot. I hope this kinda shows how much you mean to us, we want you around, a lot."

Brayden let a small chuckle escape her lips, and was engulfed into a petite hug from the small blonde slayer. The redhead then handed the papers to Brayden and was also taken into a petite hug from Brayden. She then looked at Giles, knowing fully that he had told these three teenagers and they had been the ones to do all this, with little time and barely half a day's work, they had pulled it off. Giles also spoke making the four around him laugh,

"Well, you're now a senior at Sunnydale Highschool, how do you feel?"

"I feel like a super strong inadequate senior at Sunnydale Highschool."


	4. Mantis Lady

Title: Dare You To Move

Disclaimer: Joss Whedon created the whole Buffy and Angel series' which means I own absolutely nothing! Just this story and the other ones I have written, and Buffy seasons 1-5 on DVD, but ugh, whatever, I guess I can live without owning any of the Scoobies or. . .they're not A.I anymore, so, what are they called? The title of my story is from the song Dare You To Move by Switchfoot, which is in A Walk to Remember. Most of the titles of my chapters are lines from the song.

Rating: PG-13

Summary: Same ol' Buffy, only with a few twists and turns. What if there was something else, or someone else in the mix? Someone to stir things up, and bring more conflict to the Scoobie gang. Starts at 'Welcome to the Hellmouth.'

A/N: Sorry it took so long to update, absolutely NOBODY! I mean, does nobody like this story? I swear it's going to be good, it's going to be great, it'll get so much better, I promise. I'm probably just saying this to thin air though. . . but at least I'm saying something.

ThisYearsGirl- Thank you so much for reviewing, I now know someone is reading and enjoying my story, and for that one person, I will continue to write and update it frequently. BTW, yes, you are supposed to be confused about what Brayden is, I'll tell some of it for season one, some more for season two and the ENTIRE truth, that she didn't even know about in season three. But, you'll kind of understand it as it all progresses. Thank you again.

"_I gave her my heart...and she gave me a pen." _

_--from "Say Anything"_

Chapter Four: Everybody's Waiting 

* * *

It was a genuine and kind act, really showed that they cared, that they wanted me around, me and my mysterious ways and my wavy hair that looked mostly brown with a strange mixture of a dirty blonde swirled in. I can admit freely that their actions made my heart swell, and made my right green eye and my left blue eye to let the waterworks flow. My bi-colored eyes definitely gave me away, showing the emotions I tried so hard to bottle up inside of myself, but I'd do that a lot in our time, my time.

I guess I understood what the other three meant when they talked so poorly about high school, well, Xander and Buffy, Willow enjoyed school, looked forward to it I guess. The next day was my first real day at school, and I can tell you, that wasn't much fun. It started out all right, but then there was the having to sit in desks for about an hour and listen to some person talk like they knew everything there was to know. I really didn't like Mr. Beach, he was kind of scary, I could sense his hatred toward the students, toward the whole school thing in general, which really made me question this schools integrity as a work place.

Mr. Flutie was an interesting character, I can tell you that though, he gave Buffy a chance, which meant he deserved a chance from me. I think he ignored most of what I'd said though, not really understanding me, not really understanding any teenager, but pretended to, and I think he really did care. That was until his untimely death – I'm jumping ahead of myself aren't I? Well, I continue on the time line, unless I accidentally jump off course, but don't kill the messenger!

Anyway, I then had to sit in another class with a nice, and long-winded teacher, from what I caught the gist of, she taught English, literature, whatever the difference really is. Ironically enough, her name was Ms. English, she was nice enough, somewhat funny even, but favored students, and she liked the ones that spoke up in class and knew what they were talking about. I saw problems in this class for me, but then again, books were always an easy thing for me, I'd spent most of my years reading about demons, and vampires, slayers, many Watcher's diaries had been passed to me and gripped in my long slender fingers, turning the haunting distant pages of the old and withered books.

When lunch came, I was told that since I was a senior I was allowed to go off campus, which was a tempting choice, but I headed towards the library to check in, when I briskly walked around one of the corners of the long halls, and without even noticing someone ran into a boy my age, cute, wait, did I say cute? Sorry, I meant hot! He smiled at me, a polite smile, which I knew was bound to lead to conversation, which was bound to lead to lunch, which was also bound to lead to me leaving campus and forgetting about checking in – which was what I really wanted to do, but had an obligation to Buffy and the other three.

"Brayden, right? You just transferred from Yuma High?"

"Yeah, how'd you know? I mean – I barely know anybody so it's weird that someone knows me, or should I say knows **_of_** me."

The boy laughed and rubbed his head nervously, his dark brown hair was rustled in the process and if anything it made him look more attractive.

"We have Literature together, I sit behind you, so it's understandable how you don't recognize me, besides small town, you tend to know the new people who move here. You hang with Buffy – the transfer from Hemery High, right?"

"Yeah. Wow! I guess you're right, small town, I've never lived in a small town, I like big cities."

"I also understand how you two came to hang, both being new in all. What made you move to weird lil' SunnyD?"

I smirked at the boy, chuckling low in my throat at his use of the town's name, seeing as I'd called it the same thing. I tucked my loose wavy hair behind my left ear, revealing my bright blue eye, which clashed yet matched perfectly with my bright green one. He smiled inwardly at my eyes and made a small gesture to them with his hand,

"You're eyes are different colors."

"Yeah, I usually tend to keep that to myself, since it kind of gives people the creeps."

"No, I mean. . .it's cool. They look really good together, and I think they look even better on you."

It was my turn to smile privately to myself, and I looked down at my hands, my fingers were unconsciously binding together in a nervous manner – uh-oh, at this rate I'd never get to the library, and I'd never get to Buffy and Giles, Willow and Xander and tell them about my terribly boring morning. But, this was 'oh so wonderful,' and I didn't want it to end. But, I knew my duties and responsibilities came first, and that was the slayer, it was always the slayer.

"Well, it's been nice talking with you. . ."

Another uh-oh, I forgot his name, no, I didn't know his name at all! I racked my brain for his name, trying to remember roll call in Literature, and then I giggled to myself, and thought, 'So, it is called Literature!' I then realized that I kept winding off track, and looked at the boy open mouth and wide eyed,

"I'm sorry, but what's your name?"

I thought he'd be appalled, and angry with me, but instead he laughed and smiled genuinely at me, and gave me a short nod of the head and replied happily,

"No, I should be apologizing. I'm Trenton, Trenton Jones."

"Trenton Jones. Well, I'm Brayden Reverie. Yeah, funny last name, it also means dream, daydream or trance, everybody says something."

"Actually I think it's perfect, since you put me in a trance the first time I saw you, and your two different colored eyes."

"Thank you."

I barely even said it in a whisper, I don't think I even said it loud enough for him to hear it, instead I then looked at him with my bi-colored eyes and smiled politely pointing down the hall and as fast as I possibly could, running my words together in a hasty slur said,

"Wellnicetalkingtoyou,IgottarunmeetupwithBuffyatthelibraryandcheckoutsomebooks. Seeyouaround."

I waved quickly and turned around and ran to the library, leaving Trenton standing there in a bewildered and rejected stance. I felt bad, I really did, but I'd see him around, we had Literature together so we'd see one another everyday. Besides, he sat right behind me, but then I couldn't date, it just didn't fit in my strange and hectic life. And, I realized I could barely even keep up with high school how would this nice boy Trenton fit in, and how would I spare time to give him? I couldn't, but really I think it was 'wouldn't.'

As I got to the library I noticed Giles was the only one there and he smiled, asking politely,

"How's your first day of school so far? Learn anything interesting?"

"Oh, it's just dandy!"

"Well, I'd think it would be, seeing as it is your first day of high school."

"Oh, what do you know! For crying out loud, it's boring as hell, and I'm giving up my lunch to be here, yapping with you, when I could be going somewhere off campus with Tre-trees."

'Great recovery Brayden, real smooth. Now he thinks your mysterious, moody **_and_** crazy!' My thoughts slapped me in the head and I turned around and marched off in a pissy mood, leaving a shocked Giles in the library, but then I quickly turned back in and asked meekly,

"Where are they anyway?"

"Cafeteria, they don't spend all their time in here Brayden, they do eat."

"Yeah, I forgot about that."

I smiled shyly and in an apologetic way and then headed for the cafeteria hoping I wouldn't run into Trenton again – no pun intended – but praying I would. When I got there I saw Xander ordering a lunch, and I waltzed up to him, scanning the room for the two girls. When I didn't see them I tapped him on the shoulder, nearly making him jump out of his clothes, and throw his tray of food across the room, I asked him where they were and he said they were out in the court yard, I nodded and as I started to turn around, he pulled me back gently and asked,

"Mind if I escort you? Or, I guess more appropriately, if you escort me?"

I nodded and waited for him to get the rest of his lunch and we headed to the courtyard. He actually told me a joke that made me laugh, I didn't think I'd be able to ever smile, let alone laugh at anything that came out of this boy's lips, but it happened and I guess then was when I started to warm up to him. As we walked down the hall and passed the soda machine, I noticed Trenton grabbing a soda from the dispenser and standing up slowly and watching as I walked passed him, without even saying a word, I saw a slight glimpse of him, but it wasn't until a little later I sensed he was there. And I turned around to see the back of him sulkily walking out of the doors to go off campus for lunch. I wondered what was wrong with him, it wasn't until later I knew.

That day was pretty much boring, Trenton was also in P.E with me, which we also had with Buffy, Xander and Willow. And I spent most of my time with those three, kind of away from Trenton since he hung out with some kids I didn't recognize, but then again I didn't really recognize anybody. At the end of the day we stayed in the library talking about demons, and Buffy's patrols. I'd go patrolling with her sometimes, not all the time, seeing as I understood that that was her time. Alone, to herself, to be spent in the night, in the dark. Hunting, watching, observing the creatures that walked beside her in the night, and then killing them. She told me before our recent battle, just a few days ago, that she appreciated it, the help I gave her sometimes, and the space I'd also give her, I think I said the help I didn't give her, but she referred to it as space. But, it's so hard to really imagine anything different from how I know it know, how I 'thought' I'd lived it, but I guess that wasn't as real as it had seemed, but I also see that it was real all along. Real family. Real blood.


	5. Dead Date

Title: Dare You To Move

Disclaimer: Joss Whedon created the whole Buffy and Angel series' which means I own absolutely nothing! Just this story and the other ones I have written, and Buffy seasons 1-5 on DVD, but ugh, whatever, I guess I can live without owning any of the Scoobies or. . .they're not A.I anymore, so, what are they called? The title of my story is from the song Dare You To Move by Switchfoot, which is in A Walk to Remember. Most of the titles of my chapters are lines from the song.

Rating: PG-13

Summary: Same ol' Buffy, only with a few twists and turns. What if there was something else, or someone else in the mix? Someone to stir things up, and bring more conflict to the Scoobie gang. Starts at 'Welcome to the Hellmouth.'

A/N: Okay, I am still a little peeved that only one person likes my story, but has that stopped me from writing in the past? Nay! Now, onto more 'Dare You To Move' fun! This chappy will also be in Brayden's POV, about 'Teacher's Pet' and 'Never Kill a Boy on The First Date'

"_Truly great friends are hard to find, difficult to leave, and impossible to forget." _

_--G. Randolf_

"_Education is the ability to listen to almost anything without losing your temper or your self-confidence."_

_--Robert Frost_

Chapter Five: What Happens Next?

* * *

Okay, so my first couple weeks at school, were absolutely boring during class, with the exception of Literature sitting in front of Trenton Jones, P.E which I happened to be paired with him for a partner practice run of bad Minton, and learned that he likes to be called Trent for short, and then the fun world of Geometry with Mr. Trent Jones. Three classes with him, is that enough to ask for, or could I really ask for more? I understand that I could ask for more, but most likely, I wouldn't get it. Well, you never really know what's going to happen.

For instance, Xander and Mantis-Lady. Miss. Natalie French, beautiful substitute teacher for Dr. Gregory - whose head was chopped clean off - but there had to be something about her, and I sensed it. My senses did a complete U-turn, and did an illegal spin on the road, and drove off in the complete opposite direction. (Great metaphor, Bray!) I warned the clumsy clueless boy about her, but he didn't listen, went to her house and almost had sex – if you could really call it that – with her, fertilized her eggs, and then had his head bit off. When we found out she only went after virgin boys, I laughed till I nearly peed in my pants at the sight of Blayne being in one of the cages. Big talker, not much of a walker. (Another good one Bray!)

Angel had been around, he'd given his coat to Buffy, and it made my senses run up the walls at the Bronze, which utterly confused me, not quite understanding why'd I'd sense something, but I'd realize it a year later, on Buffy's seventeenth birthday. But, again, jumping ahead of myself. The next week would be another interesting experience, seeing as Buffy and I were both asked out on dates the night the Anointed One prophecy was supposed to be fulfilled.

A broody, and mysterious Owen had asked Buffy to the Bronze, while Trent stayed somewhat distant, after I'd seen him looking at me sadly at lunch earlier in the week. During P.E when we were playing a match, I asked him what was up, and everything on his chest just came flooding out,

"Well, I've seen you a few times getting cozy and close to that Alexander Harris guy, and I thought that you two were. . .dating or something, seeing as you always run off without an explanation. But, then I saw that he hung out with you three girls, but THEN I also noticed he has a thing for you and Buffy, and that's when my first thought came back into play."

I looked at Trent stunned, and then burst into a giggly laughter fit, clenching onto my stomach, trying to prevent it from hurting so much and knelt over, making my eyes begin to water.

"Me, and Xander? You've got to be kidding!"

But then Trent's last thought came back to my mind, and I slowly drifted from my laughter, and realized that Xander did hang around me a lot like he did with Buffy, and then it hit me hard, Xander liked me! He liked me! More than a friend! I looked at Trent sincerely and smiled gently, and said quietly,

"Xander and I are just friends. I kinda like someone else."

With true hope and praise Trent's eyes lit up and he smiled brightly and then asked,

"So, you like someone else huh? Someone who you play a terrible version of bad Minton with?"

"I wouldn't say terrible, but not so great either."

I smiled at Trent and he tossed the birdie to me, indicating it was my serve,

"Well, would you like to go on a date with your well matched not so great bad Minton player partner?"

"Hmm. . .depends,"

"On what?"

"I'll say yes, if there isn't any books, bad Minton, or any math involved."

"Deal."

We smiled intensely at one another and continued our terrible game of bad Minton. That night Buffy went on a second attempt at a date with Owen, and I went on a first attempt at a date with Trent. We went to see a movie before Buffy and Owen were even ready for their date, and then we happened to arrive at the Bronze at the same time as Buffy and Owen. Giles tried to tell her his calculations for the prophecy were wrong, but she wouldn't have anything of it, and in actuality, he was right, we were wrong and mistaken. We all ended up going to the funeral home, on a sort of triple date. Buffy and I had told Trent and Owen to stay at the Bronze, but they had followed us, and it turned out to be a confusing mess.

Buffy and I told Xander, Willow, Trent and Owen to stay in a room, while we went looking for that Anointed One, who really didn't make us happy, ruining our dates like that. But, little did we know that the vamp was behind the glass in the room the four we were trying to protect were in, and we were putting them in danger instead of us - who were the ones who could actually do some damage to the vampires - even if I didn't have the strength Buffy had, I was still quick, agile and for what I am – was – I was pretty strong, compared to a girl like Willow, better yet a guy like Xander, or Owen or even Trent.

Owen was the first to see the body move, but Trent was the first to see his disfigured face, and that was strangely odd to him, yet strangely normal, seeing as it was Sunnydale in all, town of freak accidents and disappearances. Trent pointed at the window and Owen spoke up,

"Do they. . .usually move?"

Xander and Willow tried to take the stuff away from the door, so they could all get out, but Trent then said more calmly than Xander and Willow would've thought to be true,

"I've seen one of those before. . .do they. . .uh, die from stakes to hearts?"

Xander walked over to him and then pulled him to the door, and while the three of them began throwing things out of the way, Xander asked loudly,

"How'd you know that?"

"My friend, and I were at the Bronze, that night Buffy was there, and fought them off."

"The Harvest??"

"The what? I have no idea what you're talking about. . .I just know what these things do. . .are they vampires?"

Xander looked at Willow and in his sarcastic and playful tone said,

"Well, he catches on fast!"

The vampire broke the glass with his head and they continued trying to move the things out of the way.

While Buffy, Giles and I were checking the room for the anointed one, we found nothing. . .but parts. Until we heard a loud crashing noise, and Buffy and I ran to help our friends, and our dates.

As they pushed the chair out of the way the four of them ran out of the room and ran into Buffy and I in the hall, we told them to leave but, Trent and Owen were hesitant. But, as they went to the door to leave, there were vampires blocking them in, so they ran back down one of the halls. While Buffy questioned Giles for a stake, I sensed something was about to happen, something to Buffy, so I ran outside of the room, leaving Giles to yell to me, but it was too late.

"Brayden! No!"

I'd ran into the vampire straight on and was thrown up against the wall. I hit the floor hard, but not as hard as I'd hit the wall. But, Buffy was there and began throwing blows at the vampire, but it wasn't until Owen came – to try and save Buffy none the less – that she really got her drive, and she was completely amped on her slayer abilities. She thought that Owen was dead, but as I ran over to him to check his pulse, I could feel a strong heartbeat, but I wasn't about ready to take Buffy off of her killing vampire high, instead I sat Owen up against the cold metal of the body. . .cubes? And, I grabbed a stake and tucked it in my jacket pocket and ran over to help Buffy pound on the vampire, when Buffy fell or was pushed, I would put in my punches, and kicks, but eventually, when Willow and Xander came in the room and saw that Owen was coming out of it, they waited, knowing that thinking he was dead was giving Buffy more power. I stepped out of the fight, and watched as Buffy pummeled him then threw him into the burner, where they cremate bodies.

When Buffy saw that Owen was alive, I realized that there was someone missing in our group, and walked up to Willow and Xander,

"Where's Trent?"

"He's. . .well he was right behind us."

Xander looked behind him and then I pushed through them and ran into the hall, and to the front door, where Trent was pinned against the outside wall, a makeshift stake in hand. I charged the vampire and tackled him to the ground, while Trent staked him. I looked up at Trent, and smiled half heartedly,

"So, you stake vampires often?"

I asked him, trying to make light of the night around us. The night we had experienced after a good date. After a long pause, I figured Trent never wanted to see me again, but then he finally spoke.

"Well, only once in a while. I leave it to the pros."

He smiled at me, and my smile grew larger, when Willow, Xander and Owen came slowly walking out the door, I knew something was wrong. Something with Buffy and Owen, so I told Trent he should walk home with those three, and then I ran down the hall, straight into Buffy. She walked right passed me, down the hall and out of the funeral home, while Giles slowly came out of the room,

"Are you okay Giles?"

"Um, yes, I'm quite alright. But, Buffy, might be the one you should ask."

"She's already left."

"Oh, well then, would you like a ride home?"

"Sure. Why not."

The next day at school, Buffy questioned Willow and Xander about Owen, but soon found out he wanted to date her for the danger her life possessed. Which wasn't what Buffy wanted. Her and Giles had a nice talk, and I think that was when Buffy began to think of Giles as a father figure. Someone she could really depend on to be there, and to take care of her. To know her secrets, of being the slayer. To accept her, as she was. They then went to the library, where Trent and I sat at the table waiting for them. Giles looked skeptical, and when Willow and Xander walked in, they also had doubts as to what I was doing. Xander was the first to call me out on this,

"Uh, Bray, what is he doing here?"

"Xander, this is a library. . .students do. . .check books out, I'm told."

Giles, always handy to try to understand me, understand us, to try and fix things for us, to make them better. But, I knew why I had brought Trent there, and Trent knew fully why he had talked to me, and had asked me out on another date; only with less violence and danger. The opposite of Owen, Trent was in it for me, and not the danger. Which made me feel special, yet sad for Buffy. She would have a hard time with love, her future would surely tell the tale.

"Guys, Trent knows. He knows what vampires are, what Buffy is, what we do. He wants to help, and we can't deny that. He could be useful, he could really help us. I mean, last night he proved that, he staked his first vampire."

"He staked a vampire? I haven't even staked one yet."

Leave it to Willow to get off topic. She was so naive, probably always would be. So, vulnerable and young. So, innocent. Yet, so strong at the same time, I could feel the power radiating off of her, how uncontrolled it would be, how much of it was in her.

"Well, um, I do see your point Brayden, but are you willing to take that risk?"

"Giles, I can protect him when needed, I have half the strength that Buffy has, and that's plenty more than you or Xander or Willow. Besides, you guys can't stop my decisions, and I've decided that he's apart of the gang. So, onto the vamp news."

"I stopped the anointed one, yay for us."


	6. No Laughing Matter

Title: Dare You To Move

"_Freedom is what you do with what's been done to you."_

_--Jean-Paul Sartre_

Chapter Six: Off the Floor

* * *

The Sunnydale student body was spending their day on a class field trip at the zoo. Which was supposed to give the students a day of fun and learning, but most of them walked around with the knowledge that they weren't in school, and that in itself was something to be celebrated.

A few of some of the mean kids berated Buffy, but soon after Xander and Willow ran up to her, excited about watching zebras mate, and being out of school. Buffy agreed and as they were walking she calmly asked,

"So, where's Brayden?"

"Oh, she's off with Trent. They're so cute together."

Xander rolled his eyes and mockingly added to Willow's last statement,

"What does she see in him? He's just going to go tell everyone about our secret."

"Right, because nobody would think he's crazy or anything Xand."

Buffy and Willow giggled and soon came upon the couple of the hour, and smiled wildly at them. Trent and Brayden looked up from their maps and onto the smiles from Buffy and Willow and the sneer from Xander. Brayden quickly looked away from Xander and at Trent, who was also smiling. He liked Brayden, a lot in fact. And, he liked that he knew this amazing secret about her and her friends, and he liked that she let him be apart of it, and he decided that he understood her a little bit better. The weird statements she made sometimes, trying to cover for something that happened. He decided that he wanted to be apart of her life, for a long time to come.

"So, what have we been doing?"

Brayden gave Buffy a peculiar look, and furrowed her brow, and answered slowly, somewhat as if answering a question that somebody was already supposed to know.

"Looking at our maps. We kind of want to see the fish."

"Fishes? Don't."

"Why not?"

"They were fishes."

Brayden shook her head at her younger friend, and smirked, at her reply.

"Ahh, fishes. Check that box, what's next?"

"Hyena's?"

Trent offered and Brayden gave him a playful smile and nodded triumphantly, as if they now had a plan. Which was the plan, to make a plan. To plan out what they were going to do next, which made the thought that they now had a plan somewhat dim.

"Hyena's it is then."

Willow answered for Brayden, and they gathered their things and headed for the Hyena House.

* * *

Brayden had sensed something wrong with Xander, something off, something weirder than usual. But, she couldn't quite put her finger on it. Especially during dodge ball, or after the rude things he'd said to Willow, his life long friend. Or, the strange laugh he had obtained since the trip to the zoo. Or, when he made the new school mascot squeal when he walked by. Trent had noticed something too, something around the same time Brayden had, before Buffy or Willow or Giles had.

The fact that he had said those terrible things to Willow had enraged Brayden, in the short time she'd known these people, she'd grown attached to them, just as Buffy had and Trent was beginning too. When Willow was crying about the things Xander had said to her, Buffy and Brayden were both comforting her, but she made it quite clear that Xander wasn't saying anything rude to them, which also made them think. But, when Xander began coming on a little too strongly to both Buffy and Brayden, Trent had to step in, but didn't have much luck.

Buffy and Brayden both were looking at the room before them where Herbert the pig was eaten, when Xander came up behind them, Buffy and Brayden knew the exact plan they had in mind, if that failed, they'd knock him out.

"Xander. This is ridiculous. We need to talk."

Buffy faked him out and jumped on him, knocking him down with her on top holding his arms, While Brayden was standing over them, looking down at his face, her hands on her hips.  
  
"Been waitin' for you two to jump my bones."

When neither Buffy nor Brayden expected it, Xander rolled over and was now sitting onto of Buffy, straddling her. Brayden grabbed him by the collar, but he pushed her off and she hit the wall behind her roughly and fell to the ground, unconscious.  
  
"Get off of me."  
  
"Is that what you really want? We both know what you really want. You want danger, don't cha? You like your men dangerous."  
  
"You're in trouble, Xander. You are infected with some hyena thing; it's like a demonic possession!"  
  
"Dangerous and mean, right? Like Angel. Your Mystery Guy. Well, guess who just got mean. Do you know how long... I've waited... until you'd stop pretending that we aren't attracted..."

Buffy threw him off of her, and at the same time Brayden woke up, ready to pummel Xander's ass. As she jumped to her feet she watched as Xander walked towards Buffy, and continued to talk.  
  
"Until Willow... stops kidding herself... that I could settle with anybody but you or her?"

On the word 'her' Xander turned around half way and pointed to Brayden, she gave him a disgusted look and hissed at him,

"You'd never have a chance, someone who treats their friends like garbage, I'd rather eat shit than kiss you!"

"Look, Xander, I don't wanna hurt you..."

At that he grabbed Buffy forcefully by the shoulders and as Brayden tried to charge him he grabbed her roughly by the hair and pinned them both up against the vending machine.  
  
"Now do you wanna hurt me? Come on, Slayer, Observer. I like it when you're scared. The more I scare you, the better you both smell."

With that he kissed Buffy fiercely on the neck and then stopped and looked at Brayden, ready to repeat the process, when Brayden took her free arm and punched him brutally on the nose, and Buffy took the opportunity to escape from his grasp and ran to the desk across the room. He tried to hit Brayden but she ducked and rolled to where Buffy was, and he slammed his fist into the vending machine, howling in pain. Buffy grabbed the corners of the desk and gestured for Brayden to grab the other side, and Brayden did just that. This was Plan B: knock his ass out flat on the floor. They lifted the desk with ease and slammed it into the back of him, and he fell to floor as though he'd been hit over the head. . .with a desk. They dropped the desk and carried him hurriedly to the library. Where Trent was going to stay with Willow, while Brayden, Buffy and Giles went to go talk to the zookeeper.

Xander woke up and acted like he was back to normal, trying to trick Willow, she fell for it, which only made Trent angrier. Trent ran up to the cage and slammed the palms of his hands against it, yelling at Xander,

"What gives you the right to treat Brayden like that?! Huh?! You think she'd ever touch you?! Or, Buffy for that matter!? Then, you treat Willow like, like she doesn't matter?! What's your problem?! Huh?! ANSWER ME!!"

Xander just laughed - his high-pitched hyena laugh - and backed up from the door of the cage, leaving Trent to fume. Which later when the rest of the pack came to get Xander; Trent nor Willow had no idea what was about to happen. But, Brayden and Buffy were there in time, and they chased the pack out of the school and led them to the zoo. While Trent, Willow and Giles went ahead. The zookeeper knocked Giles and Trent out, and held Willow captive, pretending it was all just an act. But, Xander came through in the end, when the zookeeper transferred the hyena into himself and was about to eat Willow, Xander jumped up from the ground and pushed him off of her.

Then Buffy put in her few blows and Brayden threw him into the hyena cage. Xander untied the ropes that were wrapped around Willow's hands, and Giles and Trent both stumbled out of the backroom. Brayden ran to Trent and lightly caressed his forehead where he had required a large purple bump, she smiled awkwardly at him and he smiled inwardly at her, and then pulled her in for a warm hug. Leaving Xander to grumble under his breath.

The next day at school the girls filled Xander in on what had happened, supposedly he didn't remember anything. They just left out a few, no need to know things that had happened. And, as the girls left, Trent ran up behind Brayden and hugged her from behind and they walked with him holding her like that. While Giles walked toward Xander, stating he hadn't read anything about memory loss in the procedure of animal possession, and they merely implied that the secret would stay between them, and them only.


	7. This Angel

Title: Dare You To Move

"_The bond that links your true family is not one of blood, but of respect and joy in each other's life. Rarely do members of one family grow up under the same roof."_

_--Richard David Bach_

Chapter Seven: Today Never Happened

* * *

Buffy's day was going pretty well; Angel trying to save her, Angel without his shirt on, Angel staying at her house, Angel all around. Then, the kiss that they shared, but soon after that she found out he was a vampire. And, it all went downhill from there, when she told the gang about him, Brayden's truth about him came out.

"Oh, I already knew that."

"What?! And, you didn't tell us? You didn't tell me?"

"Well, you're the Slayer, I thought you would sense it, I thought you did. Besides, I didn't sense any feelings between you two."

Everyone stared at Brayden wide-eyed, and she shrugged lightly,

"Okay, that's a lie. But, it's okay, he's got-"

"To die. Uh, well, dusted anyway. And, that's what I'll do."

"Buff-"

"Brayden, I know what I have to do."

Before Brayden could explain Buffy stormed out of the library and into the halls, waiting anxiously for nightfall, maybe he was different, maybe he was good. She wanted to talk to him, to tell him what she was feeling, how confused she was, but later, when she went home after a study session with Willow and found Angel holding her mom, with two puncture wounds from her mom's neck, she threw him out of the house, and knew exactly what she had to do.

* * *

As Brayden paced in her living room, with an anxious Trent watching her, she bit off the rest of what was left of her thumbnail, and stopped abruptly and looked at Trent.

"I have to tell her! I have to! She could kill him, and then she'd regret it, you know? I mean, he has a soul! A soul, Trent!"

"A soul, vampire with a soul. Uh-huh, I get it now, it only took you fifty times to say it to make me understand."

Brayden stopped her fumbled thinking and looked dumbly at Trent, then smiled. She walked over to the couch and plopped down next to him, and he pulled her close and began running his fingers through her hair.

"I'm sorry Trent, it's just, he loves her. I know it."

"Does she love him?"

"I'm almost positive! Which is why we have to stop her, right now!"

Brayden tried to jump up from her spot in Trent's arms, but he stopped her and held her closer to him, she slowly turned around in his arms and faced him. He smiled nimbly at her, which made her knees quiver, and he brushed the hair out of her eye, and pulled her in for a deep and long lasting kiss, which left her raspberry lips swollen.

* * *

"Angel?"

Was what Brayden and Trent heard when they entered the Bronze, and watched as Darla turned to dust and Angel stood, staring at Buffy. Brayden smirked, and walked over to Buffy and made sure she was alright, while Trent checked Angel's bullet wounds out and made sure he was okay.

* * *

The next night at the Bronze, Angel and Buffy talked and shared another kiss. Which left a scar on Angel; literally, the cross he had given Buffy had left a scar on his chest.

As Buffy walked back to the table, with a waiting Willow, Xander, Trent and Brayden. Brayden felt her heartbeat quicken, and her breath become shallow, she grabbed her chest, and inhaled deeply, almost falling out of her chair if it weren't for Trent who had held her up. Her eyes were shut so tightly they began to water and small tears trickled out from under her eyelids. When she opened her eyes, her breathing became regular, and her heartbeat returned to normal. She let go of her chest and tried to smile at Trent, but her face wouldn't move.

"Are you okay, Bray?"

"Uh. . .yeah, I'm fine. Don't worry, I'm fine, I just. . .have to. . .go. See you guys at school."

She grabbed her jacket and purse and jumped from her chair and ran out the door. She sensed that Buffy had followed her, but she pretended she didn't notice her, and climbed into her SUV and sped off as fast as she could, without being noticeable or getting pulled over. Buffy stopped and watched as Brayden drove off, and shook her head. She decided she'd get her stuff and follow her to wherever it was that she was going.

As Brayden swung the double doors open, she saw just what she wanted. . .or just who she wanted to talk to. She speed walked over to the table, tossed her purse and jacket onto it and stood with her arms crossed over her chest. The man looked up from his stack of books and gave her a perplexed look.

"Brayden, what are you doing here? I thought you were at the Bronze with the rest of the kids."

"Giles, I need your help. And, I was."

"Well, what with?"

"I need to know, or at least understand, what I am."

"What you are? Well, you're an eighteen year old girl, who is a senior attending Sunnydale High school, the high school on the Hellmouth."

"Okay, Giles, we're not talking about what I am, well, what I do. What the Watcher's Council really needed me for. To observe the Slayer, what for? Why? What did they really need me to watch the slayer for? They don't get directly involved, they sit in England while a watcher actually takes care of the slayer. And, these vision things, am I a seer too?"

"A seer? Wait, I'm somewhat bewildered, I never knew about any of this. The Watcher's Council never told me about you, an observer of the slayer. I should contact them immediately and we can discuss this further. But, first, what visions? What have you seen?"

Brayden sat down in the chair closest to her and rested her elbows on the table delicately, while Giles leaned forward in his chair, as though he needed to hear her better.

"I first saw when the slayer - Buffy came to Sunnydale, that's how I knew to come here. And, tonight, I saw just a tiny glimpse, not really describable, but of Angel and Buffy. At first, when they kissed at the Bronze, it triggered it."

"Your vision?"

"Yes. And, I saw them kissing, many times in the next two or three years, I saw them fighting, having a relationship, I saw so many things in only a matter of five seconds. And, why would I have seen this? Their relationship, why does it matter so much, that I'd see visions like that?"

"I have no idea Brayden. But, I can tell you, that you are not a seer, your visions are too far spread apart to be a seer. Your last one was a few months ago, and this one, it doesn't quite make any sense."

"What doesn't quite make what sense?"

Buffy stood in the library's doorway, with her arms over her chest just as Brayden had moments before. Brayden shot Giles a look, and he covered what they had just discussed.

"Brayden felt ill at the Bronze, but now she's feeling just fine."

"Well, why'd you come here Bray, if you weren't feeling good, why didn't you go home?"

"Um. . .because I think of Giles like a father."

Giles was touched, even if Brayden hadn't really meant it, he was still affected by her words, and he could hear the slight pang of truth in Brayden's words. And a slight twinge of jealousy in Buffy's eyes.

"Oh, well, do you feel up to finishing the Bronzin'?"

"Uh, yeah, here, go heat up my car, I'm going to wash my face real quick."

"Sure, make it snappy, Trent is worried about you. And so are Xand and Will."

"I will, I promise."

As Buffy left the library, Brayden could sense that she was still waiting outside the door, listening to what Brayden would say to Giles. Brayden grabbed her jacket and slipped it on, and very quietly said to Giles,

"We'll finish this tomorrow."

"Of course. I'll contact them tonight."

Brayden grabbed her purse and wrapped the strap around her fingers, and her green and blue eyes flickered a sign of thanks and appreciation at Giles, and she smiled small but brightly and said at her normal volume,

"Thank you, for everything."

"Oh, of course. I hope you feel better tomorrow."

Brayden then let the smile slip off of her lips and whipped around and now sensed that Buffy was gone, and Brayden headed for the door and to her SUV. Giles smiled softly and sat for a few seconds before he stood up and grabbed a few books then went to the phone and dialed the Watcher's Council's phone number.


	8. Mr Roboto

Chapter Eight: Mr. Roboto

The days this week were getting progressively weirder. First, Adrian was getting all techno-agey on us and then Willow went all 'Malcolm' this and 'Malcolm' that. We didn't quite understand it. Since it was mainly Buffy and I on this one. The days with those two kept getting stranger, but Giles was mostly concerned with me and the hushed tones the Watchers' Council were spewing out. Saying something about me being 'Confidential' information and Giles wasn't supposed to know about me. Leave it to Quentin Travers to hide information from the Slayer and her Watcher.

It took three calls from Giles before they even said anything, mostly information I already knew. I was an observer, there to watch the Slayer and report back, not trained to interfere, and mainly for details. Big whoo on that one. They would deny that they knew anything else and refuse to answer any other questions. I knew it was Quentin, he was always hush-hush when it came to details, he never really had the Slayer's best interest, mostly his own and the Watchers' Council. It took me awhile to realize that they weren't really the ones with the power, the Slayer was. Only one Watcher was really relevant at all, and that was the one with the Slayer, with this Slayer it was Giles.

But, onto other problems. Willow started coming in late for classes and Adrian spent more and more time in Ms. Calendar's computer class. Which I should probably mention Ms. Calendar. She was the fast-paced computer teacher. She and Giles didn't see eyes-to-eye. He liked the bindings on books and she liked the click-clack of a computer keyboard. Complete opposites and yet they had one thing in common, the occult. They had to work together to get this old demon Moloch out of the internet, while Buffy, Xander and I went to rescue Willow and Adrian. We nearly got ourselves killed by a robot demon, but we pulled through.

I felt bad for Willow because she had been tricked by a demon, thinking there was a boy who liked her. I think even now, that still hurts her a little. Adrian just felt like an idiot. Worshipping a demon and almost giving me up to him. I tried to explain to him there would be plenty of more weird occurrences living on a hellmouth. But, he still couldn't stop apologizing. Something we'd do a lot. I think that's something that's stayed the same throughout the years, apologizing.


	9. AvantGarde

Chapter Nine: Avant-Garde

This week, is one I'll never forget. The school talent show was being held, and that evil rodent principle Snyder put Giles in charge of it. Watching Cordelia sing 'The Greatest Love of All' was torture and humor rolled into one. She actually thought she was good, but it either made me want to jam pencils into my ears or pee my pants. Poor Giles, he should've been in the library with the silent books and the ticking of his clock. I sat next to him stifling my laughter, as Cordelia stomped off stage and Lisa began playing her tuba. Luckily Buffy, Xander and Willow walked toward us with smiles plastered on their face.

"Ahh! If it isn't the great producer."

Buffy said in her normal peppy yet sarcastic tone.

"Had to see this to believe it."

Xander piped in. Poor Giles.

"Oh, you three."

"The school talent show. However did you finagle such a primo assignment?"

Buffy was playing with him, but his British-ness was never lacking.

"Our new fuhrer- Mr. Snyder."

Giles looked at me and sighed. I just smiled. Willow then added,

"I think they call them principles now."

Giles groaned under his breath,

"He thought it would behoove me to have more contact with the students. I did try to explain that my vocational choice of librarian was a deliberate attempt to minimize said contact, but he would have none of it."

I patted his shoulder which earned a chuckle from Xander. Then Buffy came back with a whopper,

"Giles, into every generation is born one who must run the annual talentless show. You cannot escape your destiny."

Giles removed his glasses and sternly replied,

"If you had any shred of decency you would have participated or at least, um…helped as Brayden has."

Xander looked at me and in his usual sarcastic manner grabbed his chest and dropped his mouth wide open for dramatic affect.

"Bray! I'm so disappointed, now you can't join with us."

"Doing what?"

Buffy sat down and spoke,

"Taking on Giles' traditional role of watching."

Then Xander added,

"And mock."

And last but not least, Willow,

"And laugh."

Giles didn't change the look on his face as he put his glasses back on. Buffy laughed and said,

"Okay, I think maybe we better leave our Mr. Giles and Miss. Reverie to this business they call a show."

As they all stood up to leave Xander grabbed my shoulder and Giles' and they were off, not until Mr. Snyder walked in. He lectured them on making fun of Giles and skipping class, which led to him putting them in the talent show. Giles and I smiled to ourselves, thankfully I was helping Giles, or else I might've had to do the talent show also. My favorite part was when the evil rodent Snyder said,

"I know the three of you will come up with a wonderful act for the school to watch, and mock, and laugh…at."

Thankfully his time would come. The three of them whined and sat down again while Giles kept a straight face, the smile pierced on his lips. While I on the other hand laughed.

"Thank God I'm doing the lighting."

They glared at me while Giles smiled. The next act came on; it was a ventriloquist and his dummy which brought up Buffy's wiggins with dummies. The act started off poor, and then got better, a little _too _better. I straightened my posture and leaned forward, squinting my eyes as I did. Everyone was enjoying it, but then Giles looked at me,

"Something the matter Brayden?"

"It's nothing, just…there's something weird. Maybe my senses are off."

I smiled at him and tried to brush off the weird feeling I was getting.

The next day there was more talent show rehearsals, and Buffy, Willow and Xander were going to do a dramatic scene. I couldn't wait to see that. As I was setting up the lighting, Morgan and his dummy were putting on an impromptu show for those three. There was that weird feeling again. And, then another one as Principle Snyder and Giles walked in together.

Later that day Emily, the girl that did ballet, was found dead in the Girls Locker Room with her heart cut-out. There were the things you looked forward to when you left for school in the morning, yeah, _right_. We then decided to question other members of the talent show. Adrian was helping me, and it seemed that everybody's stories all led to Morgan. Well, except for Cordelia's story. My weird feeling got stronger when I heard the whole Morgan connection. I knew then that there was definitely something off about him, or his dummy. Buffy and I tried questioning him about Emily, and the answers he gave were also weird. Then, he grabbed his head and Sid, the dummy, started talking. Morgan spoke to him and put him in his case, even weirder. Buffy thought the dummy was looking at her, and she was right, because I saw him move his head. And, I could still be lurking in the shadows instead of this.

Giles was on talent show duty, and gave Buffy the Morgan watching duty. She checked out his locker, was caught by Snyder, and being watched by something else. And yet, another day at talent show practice, bad magic tricks, Cordelia complaining, and demons. Buffy said she thought Sid, the dummy, was in her room. I snapped my fingers and they all looked at me,

"That's why I keep getting a weird feeling, it's the dummy!"

They all passed it over, but Buffy said otherwise. Then Giles showed us what he thought could have been the demon. That day Morgan acted strange in class, getting Sid taken away. Xander managed to snag the dummy, and bring him to the library. Buffy didn't like that one-bit, and I just got that weird feeling again. Giles and Willow went to the stacks to look for more books, while Xander and I sat with Sid reading books.

Buffy had another run-in with Snyder, a little creepier than normal. Xander kept glancing at Sid, while I was resting my head on the table staring at the clock.

"You ever wonder where time came from?"

Xander smiled and said,

"No, not on a regular basis."

I lifted my head and smiled at him as he stood up to grab another book. When he sat back down we noticed Sid was gone and we jumped on the table and grabbed onto each other, screaming. Giles and Willow ran in, in time.

"What is it?"

Xander hastily replied,

"He's gone."

Then I added,

"Sid's gone."

At that they both dropped their books and started looking at the ground. Buffy had a run-in of her own. Sid thought she was the demon; all along he was on our side. Downside was that Morgan was dead. We also discovered the horny dummy thing wasn't an act. And we came to the conclusion that whoever was missing from the show was our demon. Then Giles had to run to the show, since he was in charge. As Buffy, Sid and I were walking out of the library; he grabbed me and whispered,

"I know you probably don't remember me doll, but how'd you finally start in on the action?"

"Remember you? We've never met until now."

"I thought so. You were Betty then. The forties were a good time. Well, protect her."

He pointed at Buffy and then kept walking, Betty, the forties? I was even more confused about myself than I was before. Buffy and Sid were in the rafters waiting to see who wasn't there, while I was getting the lights ready. After a lot of commotion, we all found out the demon was after Giles. Since Morgan had brain cancer, his brain was of no use. Luckily they all got there in time, I was to busy in my own little world, wondering what I was exactly. Giles almost got his scalp chopped off. Funny part was that was how the talent show got started, a dead demon body, a demon head on the floor, a dummy in Buffy's arms, Willow holding an axe, Giles sitting on the floor, and Xander and I just standing there. Watching my three friends perform was hilarious, especially when Willow ran off stage. But, Giles could tell there was something wrong with me. And, I told him I wanted to talk in private. And, when we could have time to research exactly what I needed to know.

I still wouldn't get all the answers I wanted and the ones I would get I wouldn't like. I wouldn't understand, or even except for a long time. I still don't even except it. But, I can be slightly immature sometimes.


	10. Calamities

Chapter Ten: Calamities 

As long as I never have to relive these incidents, I'll die happy. Ecstatic even. It's one thing to wake-up from a nightmare, it's completely another to be living your nightmare. Just imagine the types of nightmares Buffy, Giles or myself would have not very pretty ones. I know for sure I never dream about puppies, sunshine and rainbows. We've seen the things that go bump in the night, and we know what's out there, so let's just sit and think on that one…figure it out yet? Out nightmares are more like what we do everyday, fight demons, deal with evil nasties and rid the world of evil. Heh, fun huh?

The day started with Buffy telling Willow and I about her weekend visits with her father, and Willow talking about how her parents never fought. They talked about how Buffy's parents split up, and then they both looked at me. As thought I had parent stories to tell,

"I don't have parents."

They giggled and Buffy stated,

"Oh c'mon, they can't be that bad."

"No, I _really_ don't have parents. How hard is that to grasp?"

Then I stormed off. I'd been on edge ever since the Sid thing. Apparently I'd known him when he was a human in the forties, and my name was Betty. I just didn't understand. And then, I realize I don't remember my parents, if I even had any. Then, a bunch of tarantulas came out of Wendell's book. Strange. Buffy said she saw a little boy in the doorway. Stranger.

The next day as we walked into the library, Giles was lost in the stacks, literally. Again, strange. He told us to go talk to Wendell, I opted to stay behind.

"Giles, are you alright?"

"Yes, um…I just don't know…"

"Why you got lost in the stacks? I think there's something hellmouthy goin on."

"It is probable. Is there anything else?"

I walked over to the table and set my bag down.

"Actually there is. Sid said he knew me, my name was Betty then and it was in the forties."

Giles removed his glasses.

"The 1940's?"

"Well, yeah."

"That's not possible."

"Heh, it could be. And, I just realized that I don't have parents Giles. Shouldn't I have parents?"

Giles began cleaning his glasses, and then put them back on. Not good.

"Maybe you don't remember them."

"No, I really don't have them! Why can't you people get that? I'm not a regular 18 year old girl. I'm something else,"

"Something else?"

"I don't know. But, I feel like there's more to it than that."

"We'll figure it out Brayden, don't worry."

Then there was Buffy's strange history test, one of those bad dream tests. And, she saw the little boy again. Then, Laura was beat up when she had gone in the school basement for a cigarette. Turns out that even though we didn't realize it yet, but everything was connected. Things started happening all over the place, a tough guy's mom embarrassed him, Xander going to class in his underwear, and Giles couldn't read. Then it all started to make some sense, the little boy Buffy had been seeing was the first victim of the beatings. We then thought that everything was connected to the boy, Billy Palmer.

In walks one of Buffy's nightmares, leaving Giles and I to the newspapers. She was talking with her father, and he told her that he and Joyce, her mom, had gotten divorced because of her. That she was selfish, a bad daughter, rude and dumb. That she was immature for crying and he didn't want to spend the weekends with her anymore. As her dad was walking away she saw Billy again.

Thankfully I was in the library with Giles when Xander and Willow came in. That's when we discovered out nightmares were coming true and Billy was our connection. I have to say, even though this was one of the worst days that year, seeing Cordelia as a geek was just…heaven.

It would have been better if I was with Buffy. But, at this point we were all alone. We decided to split up to look for Buffy, bad idea. Willow was living her stage fright nightmare, Xander was living his clown nightmare, and Buffy was being buried alive and I was disappearing. As I was walking through the school looking for Buffy, I saw Adrian. I walked up to him to tell him what was going on, and he turned around, I smiled and waved at him and he walked right through me. I gasped, and started yelling for someone, anyone to hear me, but none of them did. Nobody even turned to look. I just started running, and soon ran through Willow, Giles and Xander and followed them to a creepy cemetery at night across the street. They didn't know I was there, but I was watching and listening. As we walked through the cemetery there was a headstone with Buffy's name. This was Giles' nightmare. When he was apologizing to what he thought was Buffy's grave, Buffy's hand grabbed him and she was a vampire. That was her other nightmare. I laughed when Giles told Willow to shut up, but nobody heard me.

"Um…wait, where's Brayden?"

Everybody looked at Xander,

"I mean if your nightmares are like this, what about hers? She's seen a lot more."

"Yes, Xander! For once you're right! Okay, you guys I'm here!"

They all looked around, and then the worse part started happening. The shadows started swarming all around me, I could barely see where we were all going, and all I could hear was ghosts moaning and silence. I can remember vaguely seeing Buffy fight, but I was in the corner, crying. The darkness and the silence were scarier than any demon. I was holding my face and yelling at them to leave me alone. The next thing I knew, it had gotten lighter and I could hear Xander say,

"Hey, he's waking up. Brayden…oh my God, are you alright?"

I lifted my head and they all stared at me, my cheeks were stained with tear streaks. Xander helped me up and asked,

"Were you with us the whole time?"

I just nodded. Then Billy opened his eyes and told his little league coach off, since that was the bastard that beat Billy up. We went back to school and everything was back to normal. Buffy went with her dad, and I sat in the library with Giles, helping him put the newspapers and books away.

"So, your nightmare of being invisible, why was that?"

"Um…it wasn't invisible; it was…more like not even existing. I would pass right through you all; I was pretty much just watching and listening."

"Like you did before. You weren't supposed to interfere, just observe."

I shrugged,

"Yeah, except this was worse. There were these…things, following me. Making it dark and quiet. I was all alone, I was so…"

"Scared?"

I nodded. Then, sat down and looked at his eyes. He had taken off his glasses and set them on the table.

"I promise you Brayden, we'll figure something out. And, I will never have to bury you nor Buffy."

He set his hand on top of mine, and I just smiled. Then he stood up and went into his office.

"Would you like some tea?"

"Yes, please."

I didn't know it until he told me years later. But, in that moment he felt like my father. He even smiled when I said yes please. I think I felt the closest to Giles. I had no parents; he was the closest thing I had. And, through everything he always promised he'd find out what I was. He did, eventually…sorry; I started to jump ahead again.

Well, that day was one of my most frightening. Being utterly alone, terrified, trapped in darkness, being stuck by myself but watching my friends. I guess that's partially how I felt before I met them, on the outside always looking in. Because I wasn't actually apart of humanity, I never really felt it. Once I'd experienced it, it seemed so dark and so cold back on the outside.


	11. Look, Listen and Learn

Chapter Eleven: Look, Listen and Learn 

Buffy had another humiliating moment with Cordelia, and I wished she could have a normal life, but that just wasn't in the cards for her. Cordelia was going all out for May Queen, she was passing out chocolates with C's on them, and then Willow, Xander and I learned that Buffy was her old school's May Queen. I could tell she missed it, the regular high school popular girl stuff. Wearing the tiara was probably her favorite part.

After that we learned that Mitch was beaten to a pulp by a floating bat. I sometimes would wonder randomly what would happen next week. Buffy was once again stopped by Snyder when trying to scope out the scene. I slipped into the locker room, and finally Willow and Xander distracted him and Buffy slowly walked in. I was staring at the bat, and as I heard Buffy walking up to me I said,

"There's the bat."

I pointed at it, and she hesitantly kicked it, and then we kept walking when it did nothing. And, we noticed four open lockers. We closed them and they had letters on them spelling out look. We had three theories on this, and Xander and Giles would research, Willow would make a list of dead or missing kids, and Buffy and I would talk to people, starting with Cordelia.

While finding Cordelia, Harmony started tumbling down the stairs. We got to the bottom to see what had happened and Harmony claimed she was pushed; Buffy and I both heard a girl giggling. We followed the laughter up stairs to a door closing. Buffy asked as we walked in,

"Is anybody here?"

Then something bumped into Buffy and ran off and she said,

"Hey, who's here?"

We kept going into a band room and continued to hear somebody moving,

"Okay, we know somebody's here. Look, we're not gonna hurt you. We just want to talk to you."

Nobody came out so we decided to leave. When school was over we talked it over and figured out that it was an invisible girl with a grudge against Cordelia. Buffy said she would hang around the school that night since Cordelia was working on her dress. I offered to help, but she said she'd be fine on her own.

I decided to spend some time with Adrian since he'd be leaving for college when school ended and we hadn't spent that much time together. We rented some movies and watched them at my house.

That night Angel had come to see Giles, talked of getting a certain _Codex _of all Slayer prophecies. I recalled having my hands on it at one point, but I couldn't quite remember when. Well, the next day Cordelia won the May Queen, and Marcie Ross was our new flute-playing suspect. Buffy went to go check it out.

She came back with a prize, a yearbook from last year, which belonged to Marcie Ross. The only thing students wrote to her was 'Have a nice summer.' And, Xander and Willow both had four classes with her. Finally we learned that because no one noticed her, she became invisible. The hellmouth caused mystical convergence and what not. Gotta love that hellmouth. Turn the pages and we found a picture of Cordelia scribbled on. Then, the devil herself walked in panicked. Telling us about Ms. Miller almost being killed and that she wanted mine and Buffy's help. We of course couldn't turn her down, being the victim of this supernatural occurrence. Giles gave her his chair, and I stayed put sitting on the table. Cordelia claimed she'd never seen Marcie before, but obviously she'd really pissed her off. Cordelia told us that there was a message on the board when Ms. Miller was being attacked and it said, listen. By Cordelia's picture we knew Marcie would attack during the May Queen coronation. Giles was having Willow and Xander help him with research while Buffy and I body guarded our new bait, Cordelia.

"So, how much the creepy is it that this Marcie's been at this for months?"

"That about sums it up."

"Bummer for her. It's awful to feel that lonely."

"So, you've read something about the feeling?"

I started laughing; Cordelia deserved whatever puns we'd throw at her.

"Hey, you think I'm not lonely because I'm so cute and popular?"

"I can be surrounded by people and be completely alone. It's not like any of them really know me. I don't even know if they like me half the time. People just want to be in the popular zone. Sometimes when I talk, everyone's so busy agreeing with me, they don't hear a word I say."

"Well, if you feel so alone, why do you work so hard at being popular?"

"Well, it beats being alone all by yourself."

"Everybody's alone."

Buffy and Cordelia looked at me.

"Everybody's alone. Maybe not physically, but deep down we're all lonely and alone. Nothing can change that. It doesn't even matter what you do, we're all insecure and alone."

With that I started walking again. I don't think they expected me to say something like that, but it was true. They were soon behind me walking down the hall, none of us spoke.

Willow, Xander and Giles were tricked into the boiler room with gas on. While Buffy and Cordelia were talking about when Buffy was popular in L.A. When Cordelia didn't respond I signaled for Buffy to open the door. We saw Cordelia's dangling feet and Buffy followed while I tried to find another way. Buffy was knocked out by Marcie while I was still running around the school to get to the band room. When I got there they were gone, so I ran to the Bronze, thinking Marcie would be going through with her plan. I cracked the door open to hear Buffy and Cordelia talking, and then Marcie. I was waiting for my moment to storm in. I had to have perfect timing. When I noticed Buffy was trying to get out of her ropes, I slowly and quietly crept inside, staying in the shadows so I wouldn't be seen. I was an expert at lurking. I watched as Buffy was cutting her rope, and I grabbed a pool stick. Buffy kicked the tray with all the "doctor" stuff and it knocked Marcie back against a curtain. I hit her with the pool stick while Buffy got free of her ropes and started pulling Cordelia's off when Marcie punched her. I was running after them but, was kicked in the stomach by Marcie and landed in front of Cordelia, so I started cutting the ropes around her wrists. Marcie kept hitting Buffy, which was a good distraction, but Cordelia's screaming was getting annoying. Then, when Buffy figured out, if you listen close enough, you can hear what you can't see. Buffy had told Cordelia to shut up, and closed her eyes. I listened as well. I stood up and we both heard the creak of the floor and punched Marcie, sending her into a curtain. While Marcie was stumbling around with the curtain around her, Buffy punned as always,

"I see you."

Then punched her again. Then these two agent guys came in and took Marcie. They were from the F.B.I and said they could rehabilitate her. I finished untying Cordelia and we took her home.

The next day we all discussed the Marcie craziness, and the made-up Janitor rescue from the boiler room. Then, surprisingly, Cordelia came up to us.

Look, um, I didn't get a chance to say anything yesterday, with the coronation and everything. But, um, I guess I just want to say thank you. All of you."

Xander started in, but Buffy elbowed him,

"That's funny cause she looks like Cordelia."

"You really helped me out yesterday, and you didn't have to, so thank you."

"It's okay."

Willow started inviting her to lunch when Mitch walked up and called us losers, and Cordelia was back to her usual self again. I knew it couldn't last long. Cordelia being nice, that's just a fluke.


	12. Make This Day Count

Chapter Twelve: Make This Day Count 

The Spring Fling dance was coming up, and it marked the ending of the school year. Adrian and I were at the Bronze when I heard Xander talking to Willow about asking Buffy to the dance. I knew I should've gone on patrol with her that night, but I hadn't been to the Bronze with Adrian in a long time and Buffy understood. She knew that he would be going to Michigan for college a week after school was over, and I didn't have much time with him left. I promised myself to stop by the library to check in. Maybe catch Buffy there, more than likely Giles.

As I walked in the door of the library, an earthquake started. I stayed in the doorway, I saw Giles come out of his office and stand in the doorway; we looked at each other and watched the destruction before our eyes. When it was over I ran to him and he asked,

"Are you alright?"

"I'm fine, what about you?"

"Quite alright…I…um…have to translate this prophecy from the _Codex_."

"Maybe I can help. I have read many prophecies."

"Um…no, you should go home."

He started walking back into his office; I just thought he was shaken up by the earthquake, so I went home.

The next morning Buffy and I went to the library together. Giles walked past us into the book cage,

"Morning. Wow. The damage looks fairly structural. Are we safe in here?"

I smiled at Buffy and Giles gave her the same look her had given her grave in his nightmare,

"Buffy."

She didn't notice, but I did.

"What?"

"Um-yes, we're safe. Probably best not to go up there."

He pointed to the stacks which were all mostly knocked over, then turned around, Buffy stared at him.

"How you doing there, Giles? Get much sleep last night?"

"Um, I've been working."

I noticed he was wearing the same clothes as yesterday and I asked,

"You've been translating that prophecy all night?"

He just looked at me with glazed eyes and Buffy added,

"I went hunting last night, and it is awfully sweet of you to ask.

It's getting hairy out there, Giles. I killed three vampires last night."

Giles had walked past us again, and was looking through more books. Buffy looked at me, then back at Giles and continued speaking,

"One of them was practically on school grounds."

"Their numbers are increasing."

"And they're getting cockier. I'm not loving it. Last night was a pretty close call."

I knew I should've gone with her on patrol.

"Giles, care, I'm putting my life on the line battling the undead. Look, I broke a nail, okay? I'm wearing a press-on. The least you could do is exhibit some casual interest. You could go, 'hmm.'"

"Hmm? Sorry, I'm very glad you're alright. I need to verify, um – I just can't really talk right now."

Buffy shrugged,

"Fine. That's okay. I can't put it off any longer. I have to meet my terrible fate."

"What?"

"Biology."

Right then I knew it had to do with a prophecy, and I stood there, staring at Giles.

"What?"

"Spill. Something's gonna happen to Buffy."

"I'll tell you when I know more, go to class."

He then grabbed some books and went into his office. I had learned that after first period Xander asked Buffy to Spring Fling and she said no. I felt bad, but I knew it would happen. She didn't see Xander like that, just Angel. That day Ms. Calendar and Giles talked about how signs of the apocalypse were happening, and a monk who knew of the Anointed One and a prophecy. Then Willow was supposed to help Cordelia the next morning, and then she and Xander talked about Buffy. That night I was determined to get whatever Giles was holding in, out. So, I went to the library while I waited for Buffy so we could go patrolling. I found Angel and Giles discussing the prophecy. And, what I heard as I walked in made my heart drop.

"How…how is that possible?"

"Brayden, we…I'll do whatever I can to stop it."

"You've gotta be wrong."

Angel piped up and then Giles replied,

"I've checked it against all my other volumes. It's very real."

"Well, there's gotta be some way around it."

"Listen, some prophecies are a bit dodgy. They're mutable. Buffy herself has thwarted them time and time again, but this is the _Codex_. There is nothing in it that does not come to pass."

"Then you're reading it wrong."

"No, he's not…"

I wish to God I were, but it's very plain. Tomorrow night Buffy will face the Master, and she will die."

When we heard her laugh, a tear came down my cheek. She walked out and we followed her.

"So that's it, huh? I remember the drill. One Slayer dies, the next one's called. Wonder who she is? Will you train her or will they send someone else?"

She was already crying.

"They say how he's gonna kill me? Do you think it'll hurt?"

Angel tried to hug her but, she turned away from him.

"Don't touch me! Were you even gonna tell me?"

"I was hoping that I wouldn't have to, that there was some way around it."

"I've got a way around it, I quit."

Angel quietly said,

"It's not that simple."

"I'm making it _that_ simple. I quit. I resign. I'm fired. You can find someone else to stop the Master from taking over."

All the while this was going on I had my hand covering my mouth, tears flowing freely just thinking of Buffy dying, feeling saddened for her pain.

"I'm not sure that anyone else can. All the signs indicate-"

"The signs? Read me the signs!"

Buffy began throwing books at the wall next to Giles.

"Tell me my fortune! You're so useful sitting here with all your books! You're really a lot of help!"

"No, I don't suppose I am."

Angel tried again,

"I know this is hard."

"What do you know about this? You're never gonna die."

"You think I want anything to happen to you? You think I could stand it? We just gotta figure out a way."

"I already did. I quit, remember? Pay attention!"

"Buffy, if the Master rises-"

She ripped off the necklace Angel gave her,

"I don't care! I don't care. Giles, I'm 16 years old. I don't wanna die."

She then threw it on the ground and left the library. I looked at Giles, tears streaking my cheeks, and still watering in my eyes. I walked over to him and shook my head,

"She can't…we can't let it happen. She can't die Giles…it's not fair."

"I know."

Giles hugged me, and rubbed my head, as I cried uncontrollably on his chest. Letting the tears out, not even worried about holding them in anymore. Buffy went home that night, and started looking through photo albums, trying to convince her mom to go on a trip, just the two of them. Her mom surprised her with a beautiful dress for Spring Fling, Joyce was a wonderful lady, and she told her the story of how she met her father.

The next morning, Cordelia and Willow went to the AV room to see where Kevin was with all of the sound equipment and they found dead bodies instead. It was as though the vampires had a feeding frenzy. Willow talked about it with Buffy; she was scared about the whole situation. It had affected Willow more than normal, and at that point I think Buffy knew what she had to do. She was chosen to protect people, and I think she realized that if it meant giving up her life to save others, she would do it. Willow didn't know about the prophecy, which is what also made it worse. Giles had decided he was going to go fight the Master instead, a noble and heroic thought, but a suicide mission for him. Another sad fact in all this was that, Buffy hadn't really killed the Anointed One; he was a little boy waiting for his time to bring her to the Master. Buffy had walked in on the middle of Ms. Calendar's and Giles' conversation, and had knocked him out so he wouldn't go. She had her mind set, and she was walking right into her death, and she knew it. She had walked outside of the school, and the Anointed One was waiting for her. He took her to the Master.

Another sad thing was that during all this I was to busy getting dressed for the dance. Adrian was downstairs waiting for me, and I was putting on a dress. I thought Buffy had really quit, but then my phone rang, and it was Ms. Calendar telling me what had happened. I ran downstairs and told Adrian I had to go to the library, he insisted on coming with me, but I wouldn't let him. When I ran inside, Xander and Willow were already there. They both looked at me, and smiled.

"You and Buffy both have nice dresses."

"Oh, yeah…thanks Will."

Then we talked about Buffy going to face the Master. Giles had an ice pack on his cheek; I ran over to him and knelt down.

"Oh, poor Giles."

He just gave me a weak smile, and then I patted him on the shoulder. Xander's first priority in this whole thing was Buffy, and Ms. Calendar mentioned that there was an apocalypse on the way. When Xander had an idea, he knew of one person to help him find Buffy, Angel. I opted to stay in the library in case anything happened, at least there I could be of some use. Having one strong person with three others is at least a plus. Our plan was to find out where the Hellmouth was exactly, good idea Ms. Calendar. Seeing as the Master was trapped in the Hellmouth, and when he was released it was supposed to open, we needed to where it was. We then knew that the vampires were gathering and would be his army, and they would go to the hellmouth. Automatically, we assumed that it was underneath the Bronze because of The Harvest. Ms. Calendar and Willow decided to go, while Giles and I stayed behind to do more research.

As they were heading to Ms. Calendar's car, they discovered that the vampires weren't going to the Bronze, they were gathering at the school. At that moment Buffy was learning that the Master gets free because of her, and he drank her and dropped her in a pool of water, killing her. Then, he was free. Angel and Xander then arrived to find Buffy drowning, and since Angel has no breath, Xander gave her CPR and luckily brought her back to life. Then lucky for Ms. Calendar and Willow, Cordelia pulled up in her car and told them to get in. Cordelia's crazy driving led them to driving right through the school to get to the library; Giles and I heard the noise and jumped up in our seats. When we saw the three girls run in, we instantly grabbed objects and put them in front of the doors so they couldn't get in. We didn't understand why they were coming to the library, but then I said,

"The hellmouth must be near here!"

When Giles noticed they were coming in through the stacks, Willow, Ms. Calendar and I ran up there, and Giles went into his office to secure that location, and then a vampire grabbed Cordelia's arm, and I jumped from the stacks to the first floor and ran to help her, but she was biting his arm and saying,

"See how _you_ like it!"

I laughed and helped her hold the barricade. While we were doing that, Buffy, Xander and Angel were already at the door to the roof access, Buffy was going on alone and they were staying put to make sure no vamps passed them. Then something grabbed onto Willow's leg, and her and Ms. Calendar started screaming, Giles ran out and whispered,

"The Hellmouth."

A three headed wriggly demon thing came out, and everybody gaped at it, scared. My first instinct was to grab a weapon and start hacking. I looked at Cordelia, who's eyes were wide and mouth was open, and said loudly,

"You think you got this?"

She just nodded, not even taking her eyes off of the demon. I ran to the weapons and grabbed an axe, and I noticed Giles also grabbing an axe, we locked eyes for a second, almost like we knew what the other was doing, and he ran to help Willow, while I started hacking at the demon. I must say, this thing did not go down easily; I was still working on the same head, when Giles was thrown past me and landed on the table, breaking it in half. Then it was my turn, I was thrown across the room, and slid the rest of the way until I was stopped by Cordelia's feet. She stared at me and gasped,

"Oh God. Oh God."

I got up and ran right back towards the demon, more pissed off than before.

"Do you know how much this dress cost?"

And I went back to slicing it with my axe. Willow still had her leg being wrapped up by one of the demon's tentacles, and it wasn't letting go. Giles had one of the heads baring down at him, as he was trying to crawl away. When we least expected it something came crashing in through the skylight windows, and landed on the piece of wood from the table that Giles broke. It was the Master. We all stopped what we were doing and watched as he turned to dust differently than other vampires. The demon went back into the Hellmouth, and I looked up at the broken windows to see a very much alive Buffy standing there looking down in a pretty white dress. All that was left of the Master were his bones.

After Cordelia and I moved the stuff that was barricading the doors, Buffy, Angel and Xander walked in. We all gathered around the Master's bones, and Giles asked,

"The vampires?"

Cordelia replied,

"Gone."

Then Angel asked,

"The Master?"

Then it was Giles, who replied,

"Dead. And the Hellmouth is closed. Buffy? Buffy?"

She was staring intently at the Master's bones and then looked at Giles,

"Oh, sorry. It's just…been a really weird day."

Then Xander said,

"Yeah. Buffy died and everything."

Then it was Willow, who spoke,

"Wow. Harsh."

Giles looked at Buffy; I could tell he was giving her an approving look,

"I should have known that wouldn't stop you."

They smiled at each other, and then Ms. Calendar asked,

"Well, what do we do now?"

Then it was Giles,

"I don't know about the rest of you, but I'd like to get out of this place. I don't like the library very much anymore."

Xander than giddily said,

"Hey, I hear there's a dance at the Bronze tonight. Could be fun."

Cordelia nodded,

"Yeah."

Willow looked at Buffy and smiled,

"Buffy?"

"Sure. We saved the world. I say we party. I mean, I got all pretty, so did Brayden."

We both looked down at our dresses, and I smiled. Ms. Calendar than said,

"What about him?"

And we all looked at the Master's bones, and Buffy said,

"He's not going anywhere. Loser."

As we were leaving the library, I felt a sense of accomplishment. I had done more good this year with these people, than I had any other day in my life. I actually helped them save people, and stop apocalypses, I no longer stood by and watched. I was happy and I felt complete. I really couldn't wait until next year.


End file.
